WHEREAS local governments have been offered the opportunity to continue providing collection services under the Multi-Material BC MMBC Packaging and Printed Paper PPP Stewardship program subject to confirmation by September 16, 2013 of their intent to participate; AND WHEREAS while local governments remain supportive of extended producer responsibility for PPP products, there are fundamental concerns with the proposed program such as the decision-making timeline; the costs and financial risks of this program to local governments; the service delivery implications for residents; the feasibility of many of the standards being required; and the lack of necessary details; AND WHEREAS many local governments would like to be active partners in the delivery of the PPP Stewardship program, it is imperative that additional work be undertaken between local governments and MMBC if a mutually beneficial contractual arrangement is to be reached: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the provincial government and MMBC provide an additional 90 days for local governments to properly clarify and consider the MMBC offer prior to the implementation of the MMBC PPP Stewardship Plan in May 2014; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the provincial government review the MMBC PPP Stewardship Plan, and require that the plan be revised to: - address local governments concerns with the implementation of the plan; - ensure local governments control of recycling programs in their communities; - ensure producers take full financial responsibility for the collection and recycling of their waste; - create meaningful market signals that encourage the reduction of packaging and innovation of better, more recyclable packaging; and - address the issue of continuity of service; AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that UBCM appoint a representative committee to negotiate with MMBC and the provincial government.
Ministry of Environment Under the Recycling Regulation the Regulation producers are responsible for collecting and recycling the products that they make and sell. On May 19, 2011, the PPP product category was added to the Regulation, providing producers with three years to consult with stakeholders, develop a plan and implement a stewardship program. Multi-Material BC MMBC has an approved product stewardship plan and is in the final stages of preparing to launch its program on May 19, 2014. MMBC represents a broad range of producers including businesses in the retail, grocery and food service sectors. MMBCs product stewardship plan outlines how it will comply with the Regulation and meet the required performance standards. MMBCs plan commits to increasing the provincial recycling rate for PPP from approximately 52 percent to over 75 percent. To achieve this new recycling rate, MMBC has also committed to expand PPP collection services province wide through enhanced curbside blue box and depot options. MMBC has chosen to provide local governments with first right of refusal to receive financial incentives to deliver these enhanced collection services. Should local governments refuse the incentives, then MMBC will develop its own PPP collection system. MMBCs plan can be found on the Ministry of Environment MoE Product Stewardship website at: http:www.env.gov.bc.caepdrecyclingpackindex.htm More information on MMBC, including information for local governments who choose to receive the incentives and be service providers, can be found on the MMBC website at: http:multimaterialbc.ca With respect to the request in the resolution that the provincial government and MMBC provide local governments an additional 90 days to consider MMBCs incentive offer, the incentive offer and deadline are not set by the Province and, therefore, local governments need to negotiate this extension directly with MMBC. That said, ministry officials have discussed this with MMBC and its the ministrys understanding that, at the request of local governments for more flexibility, MMBC has provided local governments with four options to consider: 1.Local governments can choose to accept MMBCs offer. 2.Local governments can choose to decline the offer. MMBC will be responsible to meet the performance requirements set out in the PPP stewardship plan. 3.Local governments currently providing PPP curbside collection services may decline the offer and notify MMBC and MoE that they wish to continue to provide the PPP curbside collection service at their own cost. 4.Local governments that did not accept the incentives and did not execute an agreement with MMBC by November 30, 2013, should notify MMBC that they need more time to consider MMBCs offer. Local governments are also asked to notify MoE and confirm continuity of service to the public until such time as the local government and MMBC execute an agreement. Should the local government subsequently decline to execute an agreement and indicate that MMBC should provide the service, the local government will agree to provide continuity of service to the public until MMBC can provide the service. With respect to the request in the resolution for the Province to review and revise MMBCs stewardship plan to address performance measures, the ministry respectfully notes the extent to which MoE has facilitated the incorporation of greater performance measures into the existing plan prior to approval. The ministry notes your concerns regarding service levels and resident awareness, and encourage you to review the performance measures committed to within MMBCs approved stewardship plan. It is MoEs expectation that service to British Columbia residents is maintained and, in some instances, improved given the expansion of materials to the blue box as well as additional service to geographical regions of BC. Appendix C of MMBCs plan itemizes commitments in accordance with provincial regulatory requirements. In addition, MoE is constantly monitoring plan performance and would appreciate any details including rationale that local governments can provide on planprogram performance or areas needing improvement. All levels of government have a vested interest to ensure that all stewardship programs operate effectively and efficiently. As such, ensuring compliance with provincial regulatory requirements is one of MoEs principal objectives. MoE holds producers to the commitments outlined in their approved stewardship plans and works within its regulatory scope to ensure Extended Producer Responsibility programs in BC are meeting environmental and service level objectives. In this light and to follow up on questions raised at the 2013 UBCM Convention, MoE held regional workshops in early November 2013 with local government staff to continue our work to engage and assist local governments in the transition to producer responsibility for PPP collection and recycling. Ministry staff is working with UBCM and local government staff across the province in arranging seven regional workshops across BC. More information on these workshops can be found on the MoE Product Stewardship website at: http:www.env.gov.bc.caepdrecyclingpackindex.htm Questions regarding the workshops should be directed to the Ministry of Environment. The ministry would also like to offer any support to the new UBCM PPP committee initiated by the resolution. Ministry staff can provide a background presentation on our policy to make producers responsible, the Regulation and our compliance and enforcement strategy.