During development of the Packaging and Printed Paper (PPP) Stewardship Plan, MMBC consulted with stakeholders through a series of meetings during the fall of 2012 and by posting a draft PPP Stewardship Plan, hosting a consultation workshop and soliciting written comments on the draft plan. MMBC also developed a website that was launched on October 10, 2012 as a mechanism to provide information to stakeholders and for stakeholders to submit comments to, and ask questions of, MMBC.
Comments received from stakeholders prior to November 9, 2012 were considered as MMBC prepared the PPP Stewardship Plan submitted to the Ministry of Environment (MOE) on November 19, 2012. MMBC is considering comments submitted by stakeholders since November 9 and will decide, over the next couple of weeks, whether the PPP Stewardship Plan will be updated and resubmitted.
Although consultation on the development of the PPP Stewardship Plan is winding down, MMBC plans to continue to dialogue with stakeholders as it prepares to operationalize the PPP Stewardship Plan.
Preparing for Implementation
While we wait on a decision from the BC MOE on the PPP Stewardship Plan, we believe there are a number of ways in which this time can be utilized so that MMBC will be better prepared to implement the PPP Stewardship Plan and to support ongoing dialogue with service providers and stewards.
In terms of collection and post-collection services, MMBC will be:
- Compiling information on collection services and associated costs that will assist MMBC when setting the market-clearing price for collectors;
- Compiling information through a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) that will assist MMBC when preparing the post-collection Request for Proposals (RFP);
- Posting an updated draft list of PPP to be collected; and
- Through these activities, provide additional opportunities for stakeholders to offer comments that will assist MMBC to effectively operationalize the PPP Stewardship Plan.
Research into collection costs is just beginning and will continue into February. MMBC anticipates posting the REOI and updated draft list of PPP to be collected later in January.
MMBC is also planning to host a webinar in February to review issues of particular interest to stewards. A notice will be distributed over the coming weeks providing more information, including the webinar time and date and registration information.
Implementation
In order to operationalize the PPP Stewardship Plan, MMBC will need to execute numerous collector agreements as well as a smaller number of primary processor agreements. While MMBC recognizes the need to qualify service providers in advance of May 2014 to allow time for service providers to make any necessary preparations, implementation of the procurement activities described in the PPP Stewardship Plan will occur following a decision by the BC MOE:
- Offering market-clearing price financial incentives to collectors and subsequently entering into agreements with collectors;
- Issuing tenders for curbside collection services in areas where the local government has declined to provide curbside collection service for PPP and subsequently entering into agreements with the successful bidders; and
- Issuing the RFP for post-collection services and subsequently entering into agreements with primary processors.