SOLID WASTE AUDIT: COLOUR LABORATORIES LTD. TORONTO, ONTARIO

Transcription

1 SOLID WASTE AUDIT: COLOUR LABORATORIES LTD. TORONTO, ONTARIO Prepared for: University of Waterloo ERS 317 Waste Management Attention: Professor James Robinson S. Oyama Winter 2005

2 SOLID WASTE AUDIT COLOUR LABORATORIES LTD. TORONTO, ONTARIO EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Colour Laboratories Ltd. is a full service photographic and digital laboratory located at 355 Weston Road, in the City of Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, it has become increasingly important to reduce the quantity of waste which is sent to waste disposal facilities, especially since the Keele Valley Landfill closure in Alternative programs such as recycling and composting are, therefore, more important than ever. This, combined with the increasing costs of waste disposal for businesses, has created the need for an effective waste reduction program at the facility. The purpose of this report was to document the current solid waste practices at Colour Laboratories Ltd, and to attempt to identify alternatives which could reduce the cost and/or environmental impact of the photographic laboratory. The following summarizes the results of the investigation: Colour Laboratories Ltd. currently generates about 12,232 lb of solid waste annually. A large percentage (65%) of these wastes are either recycled or reused. Waste materials which are recycled include film canisters, film spools, corrugated cardboard, and some plastic chemical containers. Approximately 35% of the building s annual waste (4,315 lb/yr) is ultimately sent to Michigan for disposal at the Carleton Farms landfill. The majority of the waste materials sent for landfill disposal are hybrid photographic materials (i.e. carbon coated paper) which are not recyclable. Of the 4,315 lb/yr which is sent to the landfill, approximately 1,047 lb/yr could be redirected to recycling or composting, if an economically viable waste disposal company is found. These materials include items such as regular paper, pop cans, plastic chemical containers, organics and ink cartridges. At the present time, limited options are available for solid waste which is generated in mid-size commercial businesses. The City of Toronto offers a yellow bag program for recyclable and organic wastes, but this program is only available for buildings that are less than 1,250 m 2 in size. In addition, the majority of privately-run waste management companies focus on large-scale operations or specialize in a single waste type. S. Oyama Page No. i

3 Several waste items are generated in small quantities at the facility which could be either recycled or composted, if an appropriate recycling company is found. One company, Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc., offers recycling pickup for a wide variety of material types, including paper, plastics, wood, and organic materials. It is recommended that further investigation be made into the cost of their services. Based on the results of the investigation, it is concluded that Colour Laboratories Ltd. does have a wellmanaged waste reduction program in place. It is recommended, however, that further research be made into the services provided by waste management companies such as Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc., who may be able to provide the means for an in-house recycling program that is economically feasible for the company. In addition, further examination of the Ontario Waste Materials Exchange (or a similar program) should be conducted to determine if some of the company s other waste types could also be redirected from the landfill. S. Oyama Page No. ii

4 TABLE OF CONTENTS SECTION PAGE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...i 1.0 INTRODUCTION Waste Management in Toronto Waste Management in the Photographic Industry Basic Principles of Waste Management WORK PROGRAM REVIEW OF AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION Review of Waste Disposal Records Review of Purchasing Records Review of Waste Management Options FACILITY INSPECTION General Description Description of Facility Basement First Floor Second Floor Third Floor Waste Stream Identification Current Waste Management Practices Other Considerations OPTIONS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT 5.1 Paper, Regular Organic Wastes Recyclable Cans. Plastic Containers Ink Cartridges Hybrid Materials Kodak Recyclable Materials Recyclable Cardboard Miscellaneous Wastes Hazardous Solid Wastes Other Materials Summary CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS REFERENCES Tables S. Oyama Page No. iii

5 Summary of Solid Wastes... Table 1 Classification/ Comparison of Solid Wastes... Table 2 Appendices Photographs... Appendix A Photocopies of Field Notes...Appendix B S. Oyama Page No. iv

6 1.0 INTRODUCTION SOLID WASTE AUDIT COLOUR LABORATORIES LTD. TORONTO, ONTARIO As the population of Toronto increases, the issue of waste management is becoming more and more important. The production of waste, therefore, needs to be reduced as much as possible, not only to reduce disposal costs for the company, but also to minimize the environmental damage involved. To that end, this report summarizes the findings of a solid waste audit which was conducted at Colour Laboratories Ltd., located at 355 Weston Road, Toronto. The general purpose of the audit was to document the current solid waste practices at the facility, and to attempt to identify alternatives which could reduce the cost and/or environmental impact of the photographic laboratory. 1.1 Solid Waste Management in Toronto As with any large urban centre, the City of Toronto produces a large amount of waste. City residents generate just over 1 million tonnes of municipal waste a year. Just about an equal amount of waste is collected by private contractors from Toronto s industrial and commercial sectors. In addition, the City is responsible for waste from city agencies, boards, commissions and departments, which represents another 200,000 tonnes of waste 1. Up until recently, solid waste in the City of Toronto was disposed of at the Keele Valley Landfill. The landfill, however, met its capacity and was closed on December 31, No other landfill sites were available for the City s waste at that time. The most likely site was the infamous Adams Mine site. The mine, which was located in Kirkland Lake, had closed several years earlier. The City considered trucking it s solid waste there to be landfilled inside the empty mine. However, the possible environmental consequences of the Adams Mine landfill were too great for the local residents to accept, and, after several years of debate, the City of Toronto had to look elsewhere. 1 CUPE; Resolving Toronto s Garbage Issue: CUPE Report Slams Adams Mine, WMI- Promotes Wet-Dry Recycling Alternative..CUPE Press Release, October 18, S. Oyama Page No. 1

7 No other suitable landfill sites were found, so the City then had to consider other alternatives. Finally, it was decided that the waste would be trucked to the Carleton Farms Landfill located in Michigan, USA. According to the City s Waste Management website, this is considered to be a short-term solution. It is hoped that the City of Toronto will no longer need to send its solid waste to Michigan by the year To that end, the City of Toronto s Waste Reduction Task Force was created. With the help of the City s Waste Management Department, many new landfill diversion programs have been implemented, such as the residential green bin program for organics collection, and the yellow bag program for small businesses. 1.2 Waste Management in the Photographic Industry In general, photographic labs generate two types of waste - solid waste and effluent (liquid) waste. Effluent wastes are highly regulated by local municipalities, with Sewer Use Bylaws in place to regulate sanitary and storm water discharges. However, there are few regulations which apply to the solid wastes generated by the facilities. Therefore, recycling programs are not often encountered in the facilities themselves. Solid waste types that are generated in photographic laboratories include a wide range of material, such as paper and plastic packaging, film canisters, waste photographic paper, chemical containers, as well as typical office paper wastes. A large percentage of these materials are not recyclable, since they are hybrid materials (i.e. plastic coated paper bags, etc.). This creates a special challenge for photo labs. Many film manufacturers offer a recycling program for their customers for items which are recyclable, such as film canisters, single-use cameras, and film spools. Eastman Kodak Canada, for example, will take film canisters, spools and single-use cameras from any manufacturer 3. In general, solid wastes generated within the photographic industry which are recyclable are usually returned to the manufacturer (i.e. Kodak). The remaining solid wastes, which are generally not recyclable due to their hybrid nature, is sent to the local landfill. 2 Task Force 2010; Taking Care of Our Own Waste - A Made in Toronto Solution, City of Toronto planning document, Eastman Kodak Canada website; S. Oyama Page No. 2

8 1.3 Basic Principles of Waste Management In the practice of solid waste management, attempts are made to follow the 3R s hierarchy before waste is sent to the local landfill or other waste disposal facility. The hierarchy is outlined below: REDUCE the amount of waste generated at the source (i.e. less packaging on products) REUSE the material more often, to extend it s lifespan before disposal RECYCLE materials when they are no longer useful in their current state Often, a fourth R is added to the hierarchy: Recovery of energy from waste. This includes such items as methane recovery from landfills, or generation of electricity from incinerators. In general, the goal of waste management is to reduce the amount of waste which is sent for disposal at a landfill, incinerator, or other disposal facility. If managed properly, solid waste materials can have a much longer lifespan than expected and, by reducing our solid waste, ultimately both economic and environmental benefits will be gained. S. Oyama Page No. 3

9 2.0 WORK PROGRAM In general, a solid waste audit comprises the following steps: assessing the current nature and quantities of wastes generated; assessing the current waste management practices at the site; determining where waste can be minimized; setting goals for waste reduction; and implementing the waste reduction process. The purpose of this report is to begin the process of waste reduction at Colour Laboratories Ltd., by providing an assessment of the current wastes generated, as well as recommendations for future reduction measures. In order to complete the report, the following work program was followed: Review of Available Documentation. In order to provide background information regarding the waste management practices at the facility, a review of existing information was conducted which included the following: - a review of available purchasing documents; - a review of the company s waste management documents; and, - a review of the available waste management options for the facility. Site Inspection. In order to determine the nature and amount of each solid waste type at the facility, a site inspection was conducted on March 15, The following tasks were carried out during the inspection: - site walk-through; - inspections of selected waste bins throughout the facility; and, - interviews with staff and management at the facility. The results of the investigation are outlined in the remainder of this report. S. Oyama Page No. 4

10 3.0 REVIEW OF AVAILABLE DOCUMENTATION 3.1 Review of Waste Disposal Records Available paperwork from the lab was reviewed to provide an overview of the quantities and nature of waste which is generated at the facility. In summary, the majority of the waste generated at the site is stored in 2 six cubic yard bins. One of the bins contains recyclable corrogated cardboard, and is picked up twice per month. The other bin contains the remainder of the facility s waste, and is picked up once per week.. The waste from both bins is removed from the property by Canadian Waste Ltd. 3.2 Review of Purchasing Records Purchasing levels vary considerably over the space of a year. The busy season for the facility extends from approximately August until the end of December. The company purchases the following materials on a regular basis: - Photographic supplies; including paper, processing chemicals, and film. - Office supplies; such as paper, pens, and so on. - Digital photographic supplies; such as ink jet cartridges, computers, etc. - Retail store items; including film, albums, and frames. - Building maintenance supplies; including air filters, batteries, light bulbs, etc. Most of these items are bought in bulk to reduce costs. It is important to note that purchasing items in bulk generally reduces the amount of packaging (and therefore waste) materials which enter the facility. 3.3 Review of Waste Management Options In general, waste management services are either provided by the local municipality or by private companies. Often, the cost of the services will decide which company a business will use for waste removal. The City of Toronto offers pickup of solid waste, recyclables and organic waste for commercial establishments through their new yellow bag program. Unfortunately, the program is only extended to businesses with a maximum ground floor area of 1,250 m 2. The building occupied by Colour Laboratories Ltd. covers approximately 2,100 m 2., and is therefore not eligible for the program. A number of privately owned waste management companies provide pickup services, such as Canadian Waste Ltd., the company that is currently used by Colour Laboratories Ltd. These companies, in general, offer pickup for general waste and recyclable corrugated cardboard only. No other recyclable materials (i.e. regular paper, aluminum cans, etc.) are taken by these companies. S. Oyama Page No. 5

11 A review of available recycling services offered by other commercial companies indicates that most are either large-scale waste removal operations, or smaller, specialized recycling companies which deal in a single waste type (i.e. paper, computers, etc.). The large-scale waste management companies generally have minimum quantity requirements which are determined by the size of their smallest waste disposal bins. The cost of the minimum bin size would likely make recycling economically unviable for many mid-sized businesses in Toronto. Conversely, the small, single-waste stream recycling companies would be inconvenient for many businesses. In addition, by sending individual waste types to several different recycling companies, the cost to the business is expected to be as high as, if not higher than that of the large scale recycling service. Due to this, it is expected that many mid-sized businesses in Toronto are not recycling a great deal due to economic concerns. However, one company which may provide the appropriate level of service for the mid-size business was identified. The company, Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc. 4, offers pickup of a variety of recyclable materials, including typical materials such as glass, paper, and cans, as well as other less popular materials such as organics, scrap metal, wood shavings and wood pallets. Another option for waste disposal may be the Ontario Waste Materials Exchange (OWME) website 5, or the Canadian RecycleXchange website 6, both of which offer some interesting possibilities for items which are not traditionally considered to be recyclable. A review of the listings on the websites bulletin boards indicates that some of the items which are in demand include small quantities of conventional recyclables such as glass, paper, and cans, as well as some unconventional items such as cardboard tubes, ink cartridges and wood pallets. In summary, the size of Colour Laboratories Ltd. precludes using the conventional approach to waste management. Waste removal services for a building the size of the laboratory are not provided by the City of Toronto, and to use a large-scale waste removal company for small amounts of recyclable materials simply does not make economic sense. Therefore, the use of a smaller recycling company, and possibly the Ontario Waste Materials Exchange (depending on what items are in demand) is expected to be the favoured approach for waste reduction. 4 Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc. website: 5 Ontario Waste Materials Exchange website; 6 Canadian RecycleXchange website; S. Oyama Page No. 6

12 4.0 FACILITY INSPECTION 4.1 General Description Colour Laboratories Ltd. occupies a 3-storey, 63,000 square foot (5,850 m 2 ) building with a footprint area of 22,600 square feet (2,100 m 2 ). The building is of concrete block construction, and has a full basement. The municipal address of the property is 355 Weston Road, in the City of Toronto, Ontario. The building was custom built for the laboratory in Description of Facility The facility building includes a digital laboratory, a traditional laboratory, several offices and washrooms, a retail store, a machine shop, and warehouse space. The site inspection was conducted on March 15, During the inspection, an interview was conducted with Mr. Craig Stull, the Operations Manager of the facility. In addition to a review of the waste management practices at the facility, inspections of waste bins were conducted whenever possible. This included determining the contents of each bin, as well as obtaining approximate weights of the contents of the bins. Complete site inspection notes are included in Appendix B. A summary of the inspection follows: Basement The basement of the building is primarily used for storage of machine parts, shipping boxes, building materials, and so on. The following solid waste items were identified in the basement: - Wood skids which are used to ship photographic supplies such as paper and chemicals. The skids are either returned to the supplier (Kodak), or are taken by employees for home use. - Black plastic (HD polyethelyne) chemical storage drums, which are 20, 35 and 50 gallons in size (Photo 1). The drums are picked up by a local recycling company, shredded, and sold to a Korean manufacturing company for re-use. Approximately 100 drums are taken each year. - Empty paint cans, varsol, etc., which are taken to the local hazardous waste depot. - Lead acid batteries for the building s backup lights which are changed every year (about 35 batteries per year) and are taken to the local hazardous waste depot. S. Oyama Page No. 7

13 4.2.2 First Floor The first floor contains the staff kitchen/lunchroom, locker rooms/washrooms, machine shop, laminating room, the store and the loading dock. A summary of the solid wastes identified on the First Floor is as follows: - Kitchen waste is primarily organic. Ceramic dishes are used as opposed to disposable to reduce waste quantities. - The machine shop generates some wood, plastic and metal scraps (Photo 2). The metal scraps are picked up by a local scrap metal dealer, who also picks up scrap computer parts. Wood scraps and sawdust are taken to the local waste transfer station. - Washrooms have hand dryers, as opposed to paper towel dispensers. Waste generated in the washrooms is primarily paper products, such as toilet paper wrappers, and Kleenex. - Store waste is limited to paper and plastic packaging waste. Some cardboard box waste is generated. - In the laminating room, photographs are laminated and put on a featherboard backing. Some scraps from featherboard, cardboard, laminate, etc are generated. Whenever possible scrap pieces are reused as backing inserts for shipping photos (Photo 3). Some waste spray lacquer bottles are also generated. - Recyclable items which are returned to Kodak (i.e film canisters, film cores, etc.) are stored in the loading dock (Photo 4). Solid waste is compacted before placement in the waste bins, which are located at the south side of the building. Corrugated cardboard is also compacted and stored in a separate bin to be recycled Second Floor The digital laboratory, photographic lab, two washrooms and offices are located on the second floor. The following wastes were identified: - Office waste comprises mainly paper products (Photo 5). Some pop cans and Tim Horton s coffee cups were also encountered in the office waste bins. - In the photo lab, waste photographic products are generated, such as photo paper, film canisters, film backing paper (i.e. for 120mm film), and chemical containers. The recyclable materials (i.e. film canisters, etc.) are stored on the first floor before being returned to Kodak. Many non-recylable materials are generated as well, such as the 120mm film backing, and photographic paper (Photo 6). These materials are not recyclable as they are hybrid materials which are made up of more than one material type (i.e. film backing is carbon-coated paper). Some of the plastic chemical containers are recyclable once emptied, however these items are not recycled due to the small quantity which are generated (Photo 7) S. Oyama Page No. 8

14 - In the digital lab, waste products include photographic paper (Photo 8), chemical containers and ink cartridges. The majority of these materials are hybrid, and are therefore not recyclable. It should be noted that both regular paper and waste photographic paper are reused for notes by the staff as a regular practice before it is thrown out Third Floor The third floor contains the chemical mixing room. Solid waste generated comprises chemical plastic containers, which could be recycled but are not at this time. The boiler room is also on the third floor. Waste air and process water filters are generated, which are put into the garbage. 4.3 Waste Stream Identification Upon review of the current waste management practices at the facility, the various waste types were categorized based on the type of material, the destination of the material, and the location the material is generated at. The estimated weights and annual quantities of each material are included in the Site Inspection Notes (Appendix B ), are detailed in Table 1, and are summarized in Table 2 (appended). A summary chart is included below. S. Oyama Page No. 9

15 CHART 1: SUMMARY OF SOLID WASTE TYPES BY WEIGHT 9% 1% 3% 5% 2% 5% 0% 4% 17% 54% Paper, regular Recylable Cans, Plastics Hybrid materials, not recylable Cardboard, recycled Hazardous materials (batteries, paint cans, etc.) Organics Ink Cartridges Kodak recycling Miscel. garbage (foamcore, filters, etc.) Other (i.e. w ood skids, computers) S. Oyama Page No. 10

16 4.4 Current Waste Management Practices In general, the primary waste reduction tool used at Colour Laboratories Ltd. is Reuse. Whenever possible, materials are reused until they begin to degrade. For example, the bags that photographic paper is shipped in are re-used not only within the lab to transport undeveloped photosensitive materials, but are often taken by staff for storage uses at home. In addition to reusing as many materials as possible, the recycling program which is offered by Kodak Canada is taken advantage of. The Kodak program includes used film canisters, plastic film cans, film spools, and single-use cameras. These materials account for a large percentage (approximately 53%) of the wastes generated at the property. Items that are sent for disposal include mainly non-recyclable, non-reusable materials such as the hybrid chemical containers, photographic paper, and so on. However, it should be noted that since the company does not run it s own in-house recycling program, some items such as pop cans and regular paper are put in the garbage. In addition, organic wastes which could be composted are sent out as garbage. A summary of the current waste management practices is included in Chart 2, below: CHART 2: CURRENT WASTE MANAGEMENT 3% 62% 35% Recycled Reused Waste S. Oyama Page No. 11

17 4.5 Other Considerations Some consideration must be given to the types of waste materials that leave the facility but are not waste at the time, such as packaging materials for items sold in the store, and the shipping materials used to send photographs to mail-order customers. During the site inspection, information provided by Mr. Stull indicated that the majority of the shipping materials used for the mail-order customers are either recyclable, or have already been reused by the lab. For example, the backing inserts used to protect the outgoing photographs from damage are made from scraps generated in the laminating room. In addition, the company uses plain manilla envelopes and recyclable plastic in their shipping materials. The use of styrofoam for shipping was discontinued several years ago. The packaged items which are sold in the store include such items as film, albums, and frames. Depending on the local municipality s recycling program, many of the packaging materials for these items are recyclable. S. Oyama Page No. 12

18 5.0 OPTIONS FOR WASTE MANAGEMENT More than 60% of the solid waste generated at Colour Laboratories Ltd. is recycled or reused. This indicates that the facility has implemented a strong waste management program already. However, several small items could also be diverted from the waste bin. A summary of the current and recommended waste management practices at the site is outlined in the following sections. 5.1 Paper, Regular Currently, the regular paper waste generated at the building is not recycled. The paper is re-used for notes by the staff, however, which does extend the lifespan of the paper, but recycling of the material should be considered. Approximately 625 lb of paper is disposed of annually. 5.2 Organics Organic materials which are generated at the building include food scraps, coffee grounds, and so on. Approximately 300 lb of organic waste is generated in the building every year. Composting the material is a possible option for solid waste reduction. 5.3 Recyclable Cans, Plastic Containers Pop cans and small plastic chemical containers are currently not recycled at the site. Approximately 89 lb per year are generated of this waste, which could be recycled if a cost-effective service provider is found. Other waste plastic chemical drums (approximately 500 lb/yr) are already recycled. These drums are taken by a local small recycling company, which shreds the plastic and sells it to a Korean manufacturing company for reuse. 5.4 Ink Cartridges It is estimated that about 260 ink cartridges (33 lb) are used each year in the digital lab. Although the quantity is not high, it is expected to increase as more services are offered digitally and the conventional lab is phased out. A number of ink cartridge recycling programs are available in Toronto, which could be taken advantage of. S. Oyama Page No. 13

19 5.5 Hybrid Materials A large percentage (approx. 1,482 lb/yr, or 12%) of the waste materials at the site are non-recyclable hybrid materials, such as photographic paper. Unless new technology becomes available that can recycle these materials, the only option is simply to make all efforts to reduce their quantities. Colour Laboratories Ltd. already does this. 5.6 Kodak Recyclable Materials The Kodak Recycling program includes such items as film canisters, spools and single-use cameras. The total amount of waste which is diverted by this program is about 6,500 lb/yr, or 53%. 5.7 Recyclable Cardboard Corrugated cardboard and cardboard paper spools are currently recycled by Canadian Waste Ltd. This accounts for about 467 lb of the facility s annual waste. 5.8 Miscellaneous Waste Miscellaneous waste includes such items as waste foamcore material, and air and water filters. These items are not reusable or recyclable, and cannot be redirected from the waste bin. However, they only account for about 1127 lb/yr, or about 9% of the facility s waste. 5.9 Hazardous Solid Wastes Hazardous solid waste at the building comprises empty paint cans, spray lacquer cans, and lead acid batteries. These items, which account for about 117 lb/yr, are taken to the local hazardous waste depot for disposal Other Materials The remaining, or other waste materials generated at the site include the wood skids which are used for shipping photographic supplies, scrap computers, and machine shop wastes. These items, in total, account for about 380 lb/year, or 3% of the company s annual waste. The majority of these materials are recycled or reused. S. Oyama Page No. 14

20 5.11 Summary Therefore, although the company does recycle a large percentage (62%) of its waste, several other waste items could also be diverted from the waste bin. The regular paper, pop cans, and some of the plastic chemical containers could be added to the recycling stream. In addition, ink cartridges could be recycled, and organic waste could be composted, either on-site or by another company. The redirection of these items could result in an 8% reduction (i.e. 6% more recycled materials, and 2% being composted) in the materials which are ultimately sent to the landfill in Michigan, as shown in Chart 3, below: CHART 3: POSSIBLE WASTE MANGEMENT 27% Recycled Reused Composting Waste 2% 3% 68% S. Oyama Page No. 15

21 6.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS Colour Laboratories Ltd. is a full service photographic and digital laboratory located at 355 Weston Road, in the City of Toronto, Ontario. In Toronto, it has become increasingly important to reduce the quantity of waste which is sent to waste disposal facilities, especially since the Keele Valley Landfill closure in Alternative programs such as recycling and composting are, therefore, more important than ever. This, combined with the increasing costs of waste disposal for businesses, has created the need for an effective waste reduction program at the facility. The purpose of this report was to document the current solid waste practices at Colour Laboratories Ltd, and to attempt to identify alternatives which could reduce the cost and/or environmental impact of the photographic laboratory. The following summarizes the results of the investigation: 1. Colour Laboratories Ltd. currently generates about 12,232 lb of solid waste annually. A large percentage (65%) of these wastes are either recycled or reused. Waste materials which are recycled include film canisters, film spools, corrugated cardboard, and some plastic chemical containers. 2. Approximately 35% of the building s annual waste (4,315 lb/yr) is ultimately sent to Michigan for disposal at the Carleton Farms landfill. The majority of the waste materials sent for landfill disposal are hybrid photographic materials (i.e. carbon coated paper) which are not recyclable. 3. Of the 4,315 lb/yr which is sent to the landfill, approximately 1,047 lb/yr could be redirected to recycling or composting, if an economically viable waste disposal company is found. These materials include items such as regular paper, pop cans, plastic chemical containers, organics and ink cartridges. 4. At the present time, limited options are available for solid waste which is generated in mid-size commercial businesses. The City of Toronto offers a yellow bag program for recyclable and organic wastes, but this program is only available for buildings that are less than 1,250 m 2 in size. In addition, the majority of privately-run waste management companies focus on large-scale operations or specialize in a single waste type. 5. Several waste items are generated in small quantities at the facility which could be either recycled or composted, if an appropriate recycling company is found. One company, Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc., offers recycling pickup for a wide variety of material types, including paper, plastics, wood, and organic materials. It is recommended that further investigation be made into the costs of their services. S. Oyama Page No. 16

22 Based on the results of the investigation, it is concluded that Colour Laboratories Ltd. does have a well-managed waste reduction program in place. It is recommended, however, that further research be made into the services provided by waste management companies such as Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc., who may be able to provide the means for an in-house recycling program which is economically feasible for the company. In addition, further examination of the Ontario Waste Materials Exchange (or a similar program) should be conducted to determine if some of the company s other waste types could also be redirected from the landfill. S. Oyama Page No. 17

23 7.0 REFERENCES 1. Canadian RecycleXchange website; 2. Cherimisinoff, Nicholas; Handbook of Solid Waste Management and Waste Minimization Technologies, Butterworth-Heinemann, Boston, City of Toronto Solid Waste Management Website; 4. CUPE; Resolving Toronto s Garbage Issue: CUPE Report Slams Adams Mine, WMI- Promotes Wet- Dry Recycling Alternative..CUPE Press Release, October 18, Fine Recycling and Disposal Inc. website: 6. Fuji Canada website 7. Kodak Canada website 8. Kodak; An Introduction to Waste Management Options for Photographic Processing Facilities, Eastman Kodak Company USA, Konica Canada website Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy; A Guide to Waste Audits and Reduction Workplans for Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Sectors. Ontario MOEE, Ontario Waste Materials Exchange website Platt, Brenda; Minimizing Waste Maximizing Recycling, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Washington, DC, Robinson, Alan (ed.); Continuous Improvement in Operations : a Systematic Approach to Waste Reduction, Productivity Press, Cambridge, Task Force 2010; Taking Care of Our Own Waste - A Made in Toronto Solution, City of Toronto planning document, S. Oyama Page No. 18

24 TABLES

25 TABLE 1: SUMMARY OF SOLID WASTE TYPES Location Waste Type Amount per Year Weight of 1 Unit (lb) Total Weight/Year (lb) Destination Offices Paper 408 garbage cans garbage Washrooms Paper 102 garbage cans garbage Kitchen Organics 100 garbage cans garbage Recyclables 100 garbage cans garbage Digital Lab Photographic Paper 51 garbage cans garbage Ink Cartridges garbage Computer equipment 6 units 5 30 scrap metal dealer Chemical containers garbage Photo Lab Photographic Paper 153 garbage cans garbage Photo Bags reused Plastic film cans recycled Kodak Film Cannisters recycled Kodak Film Spools recycled Kodak 120 film backing garbage paper cores reused; recycled Chemical containers garbage spray lacquer cans waste trs station cardboard boxes recycled large chemical drums Korea foam core, etc scraps 17 garbage cans 4 68 garbage process filters garbage Machine Shop metal scraps 1 bin scrap metal dealer plastic scraps 1 bin garbage wood scraps/shavings 1 bin trans sta Store Paper 26 garbage cans garbage packaging 26 garbage cans garbage cardboard boxes recycling CW General Maintenance lead acid batteries trans sta air filters garbage wood skids reused paint cans waste trs station Total Annual Waste (lb) 12232

26 TABLE 2: CLASSIFICATION/COMPARISON OF SOLID WASTES Waste Type Total/Year (lb) Recycled Reused Waste Possible to Recycle Possible to Compost Paper, regular Organics Recylable Cans, Plastics Ink Cartridges Hybrid materials, not recylable Photo paper Kodak recycling Cardboard, recycled Miscel. garbage (foamcore, filters, etc.) Hazardous materials (batteries, paint cans, etc.) Other (i.e. wood skids, computers) Machine Shop waste TOTAL TOTAL % 100% 62% 3% 35% 6% 2%

27 APPENDIX A PHOTOGRAPHS

28 SITE PHOTOGRAPHS Photo 1: Plastic drums which are shredded and recycled by Korean manufacturing company. Photo 2: Machine Shop located in basement.

29 Photo 3: Waste foamcore from laminating room which is re-used as inserts for shipping photographs. Photo 4: Used film canisters which are returned to Kodak for recycling.

30 Photo 5: Typical waste bin located in offices. Photo 6: Typical hybrid nonrecyclable materials: carbon coated backing paper from 120mm film (left), and plastic/cardboard chemistry container (right).

31 Photo 7: Recyclable plastic and cardboard chemical containers located on the third floor. Photo 8: Typical photographic paper waste bins in photographic laboratory.

32 APPENDIX B INSPECTION NOTES (Not Included in Electronic Version)