GENERAL COMMITTEE - COMMUNITY SERVICES AND ENVIRONMENT
TO:	Mayor and Members of Council
FROM:	Peter Loukes P. Eng., Director Operations
PREPARED BY:	Claudia Marsales, Manager Waste Management
DATE OF MEETING:	January 9, 2006
SUBJECT:	Community Donation Centre- Pilot Project with Goodwill (Industries)

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT the report titled “Community Donation Centre - Pilot Project with Goodwill (Industries)” be received;

AND THAT the Waste Management Department be authorized to conduct a twelve month pilot project with Goodwill to determine public acceptance of a Community donation centre adjacent to the Thornhill Recycling Depot;

AND THAT staff report back on the results of the pilot program with recommendations for possible expansion to other recycling depots.

PURPOSE:

It is proposed that the Town enter into a partnership with Goodwill to install a donation centre on a one year trial basis and report back on the results and possibility of expanding the service to other recycling depots.

BACKGROUND:

The Town operates 4 recycling depots which accept a broad range of recyclable materials including cardboard, scrap steel, plastic bags, polystyrene, plastics, tires, fluorescent light tubes, cellular telephones and recyclable batteries. The depots continue to be very popular with residents with over 44,000 visits per year.

Residents regularly put reusable household items at the curb for collection or bring items to the depots in the hope that the Town will either reuse or recycle them. Due to space limitations, the recycling depots do not accept reusable household items. Increasingly, items are dumped at the depots and at private collection bins. Waste Management staff must then make special arrangements with Miller Waste to collect and dispose of these materials.

Goodwill Pilot Project Proposal

Goodwill is a registered not for profit Canadian charity that was established during the Depression to provide work opportunities and skills development for those facing employment barriers. Today, Goodwill operates 47 donation centres and retail stores throughout Ontario. Each year, Goodwill receives an estimated 30 million pounds (approximately 13,600 tonnes) of reusable clothing, furniture, toys, sporting goods, and house wares. Donations are made available for sale at affordable prices through Goodwill’s retail stores.

Goodwill has submitted an unsolicited proposal to install a Community donation centre adjacent to one of Markham’s busiest recycling depots on a pilot basis.

Donation Centers are Staffed 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The donation centers are stationary 40 ft. custom trailers containing large bins. The trailers are connected to the nearest available hydro feed to provide heat for the office part of the trailer and power for communications. Goodwill will pay for hydro and all hydro related costs. Goodwill would staff the collection centre from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days per week. The centres attendants are responsible for assisting and educating donors and keeping the area safe and clean at all times. A Goodwill collection truck will empty the trailer daily.

Goodwill has been successful with similar donation centres in Ontario. Goodwill has been operating a donation center in Thornhill at Yonge and Steeles Avenue for over ten years that collects 774.5 tonnes of used goods annually.

Goodwill anticipates collecting 227 tonnes in the first year of operation at the Thornhill location. If the trial period is successful, Goodwill anticipates collecting approximately 340 tonnes in the second year and over 450 tonnes in year three. Goodwill anticipates that a Thornhill depot location will be as successful as its Yonge and Steeles Avenue location.

Impact on Other Charitable Reuse Programs

The Town already has relationships with other charities to collect clothing and small household goods from municipal locations. The Salvation Army collects clothing at the Town fire halls through its drop-off boxes and the Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy collects clothing through its drop boxes at several of the Town’s community centres.

DISCUSSION:

Proposed Location will not Impact Parking

Recreation staff have identified the northern most edge of the Thornhill Community Centre parking lot on the east side for the placement of the Donation center. (See

attached map). This location will not impact the parking allowance for the Thornhill Community Centre.

FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS:

Proposal has benefits for the Town

This pilot project provides both operational and financial benefits to the Town. Reducing the amount of materials illegally dumped at the Thornhill Recycling Depot will reduce disposal and operational costs.

In addition, material collected for re-use by Goodwill represents avoided collection costs of $77.90/tonne Goodwill’s projection to collect 340 tonnes of donated goods in the second year of operation would represent potential collection cost avoidance of approximately $27,000 in 2007.

BUSINESS UNITS CONSULTED AND AFFECTED:

The Recreation Services Department has reviewed this report and is supportive of the pilot project as it will eliminate the ‘illegal dumping’ of materials at the community centre. Staff has requested the small collection box currently located on the parking lot be removed if the project is approved.

CONCLUSION

The Town’s Mission Green program has established a target to recycle 70% of residential waste material. This proposal provides Markham residents the ability to recycle reusable household goods currently collected for landfill.

ATTACHMENTS

Map of proposed site location.

Peter Loukes, P.Eng. Director, Operations

Jim Sales Commissioner of Community and Fire Services

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