Best Practices

Obj. 1: Program Performance Projections and Analysis (16.7% of BP score)

Provide data on specific performance indicators (e.g., collection and processing costs, revenues, marketed tonnes, net costs, recovery etc.) along with projections for the year to come. CIF staff can assist in gathering data to complete this section with an eye to reducing program costs and increasing recovery. We can provide assistance in analyzing performance and explaining the rationale for future projections to ensure that your program to is credited for efforts to improve performance.

Obj. 2: Blue Box Efficiency Assessments (8.3% of BP score)

Programs are asked to indicate if and when they have completed an efficiency assessment of Collection, Depot, Transfer Station and Processing operations – assuming an assessment of one operation type is completed each year.

CIF provides advice for completing program efficiency assessments to establish your baseline and input to strategies to address recommendations.

Obj. 3: Blue Box System Optimization Initiatives (8.3% of BP score)

What steps have your staff taken to consider optimization for your program?

Where appropriate, the CIF provides funding for projects that address system optimization as well as staff who can provide advice on key issues. Our staff are available to assist in developing a presentation or report for Council to outline optimization options. The Blue Box (BB) consultation/outreach sessions include discussions of optimization issues and programs will receive credit for staff attendance at these events.

Obj. 4: Program Performance Outcomes (33.3% of BP score)

How much marketable material per household does your program collect and does it achieve reasonable costs/tonne relative to your peers (i.e., municipal grouping)?

In the 2015 Datacall, this objective is broken into two equal categories:

Marketable material recovery rate comparison to peers (16.7%) and
Financial comparison to peers (16.7%)

CIF staff work with municipalities to assist in reducing costs as well as increasing recovery and overall program efficiency and provide funding through the annual REOI to address issues to improve program performance outcomes. Performance improvement options are an important feature of BB consultation/outreach sessions, at Ontario Recycler Workshops (ORW) and training events and other events hosted by the CIF each year.

Obj. 5: Training of key program staff in core competencies (13.3% of BP score)

Your program is eligible to earn continuing education units (CEU) for attending specified courses, meetings and workshops to stay up to date in core competencies relevant to Blue Box recycling. The CIF Centre of Excellence hosts training courses, workshops and outreach meetings for recycling staff province-wide. Stay up to date with upcoming opportunities simply by subscribing to the CIF email list. Then attend courses and workshops to obtain CEUs specified in the Datacall. We post lists of registrants for CIF events on our Datacall Training Objective webpage along with a Summary of Training Credits available to different programs (according to size).

Obj. 6: Promotion and Education achievements and initiatives (13.3% of BP score)

Does your program plan and implement promotion and education in support of recycling? The CIF offered P&E training in 2014 and 2015 and provides other P&E Planning resources on our website. Find out more here.

Obj. 7: Development of effective policies that promote waste diversion (6.7% of BP score)

Does your program provide Blue Boxes (or equivalent) to residents free of charge (or low cost)? What other policy best practices are employed to provide adequate recycling capacity, limit waste, incentivize recycling and reduce contamination? CIF staff are available to provide input to reports or presentations for Council on various policy issues. We are available to link up partner communities to make program changes where necessary in support of new policy option. ORW, training and consultation/outreach sessions provide an opportunities to discuss and network about how best to implement policy issues and we also offer direct support such as the Container Purchase program to support implementation of new policies. Find out more here and consider joining the next order call for reusable recycling bags in spring 2015.