Supports Item No. 1
T&T Committee Agenda
May 2, 2000

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: April 12, 2000
Author/Local: D Roberts/7567
RTS No. 01413
CC File No. 3501

T&T: May 2, 2000

TO:	Standing Committee on Transportation and Traffic
FROM:	General Manager of Engineering Services, Chief Constable, Director of Environmental Health, Vancouver/Richmond Health Board and Manager of Environmental Protection Branch
SUBJECT:	Garbage Trucks/Hopper Juice Spillage

INFORMATION

General Manager of Engineering Services, Chief Constable and Director of Environmental Health, Manager of Environmental Protection Branch and City Manager submits this report for INFORMATION.

COUNCIL POLICY

There is no applicable Council policy.

PURPOSE

This report provides information on actions the City is taking regarding liquid discharges that spill from garbage trucks; this material is usually referred to as hopper juice.

BACKGROUND

Garbage trucks are designed to carry solid waste which preferably contains only minor amounts of liquids. However, the garbage either because of organic materials which have been put into it, such as kitchen scraps or because the lids of the containers have been left open allowing rain to enter, produces a lot of hopper juice. In the normal regime the garbageis compacted to allow for as many pick-ups as can be accommodated before the truck meets its maximum allowable weight The compacting puts enormous amounts of pressure on the garbage which further helps to create the hopper juice. The working hydraulic pressure used for compaction has also increased over the last few years. The hopper juice leaks out of the trucks because the rear seals of the truck box leak, bungs in the truck box are missing or leak or the hopper juice rises above the height of the seals. This is not a problem unique to Vancouver, but one that exists throughout North America.
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DISCUSSION

The City has received complaints as a result of garbage trucks leaking hopper juice onto City streets and lanes and at times into storm catch basins. This material can be unsightly and particularly in the summer be very odourous. The general response to the complaint is to contact the offending waste hauler (if known) advising them to take whatever action is required to halt such occurrences and to inform the hauler that the City may send a bill for any clean-up activity that is carried out. The Sanitation Branch of the City's Engineering Services responds upon request using mechanical flusher trucks for hopper juice cleanups.

As a result of continued complaints of hopper juice leaking onto the lane and street in the 1800 block east Georgia, staff had a meeting with a number of waste haulers and this was followed up with staff going to a meeting of the Waste Haulers Association. The Waste Haulers committed to carrying out inspections of their trucks to make sure seals and bungs were in place and functioning properly. In terms of the City of Vancouver's garbage packers, a review has been undertaken on leaking hopper juice. In the past the hopper seals were replaced on an as needed basis. Henceforth, the hopper seals will be inspected once a week while the tail gates are being greased. If the inspection reveals the need for a new seal, it will be installed immediately. As well, the new garbage packers, anticipated to be ordered soon, are medium density type, in contrast to the high density type purchased previously. Less compaction will reduce the amount of hopper juice and lesson the chances of spillage.

It should be noted that staff made numerous inspections at 1800 block east Georgia over this period including early morning surveillance as well as having talked to the complainant on many occasions. It would seem that the problem has been alleviated from this area, but we cannot say it has been totally eliminated in the City at large.

Enforcement Actions

There are a number of By-Laws which can be used for enforcement purposes pertaining to spillage of hopper juice.

Street and Traffic By-law (2849) section 99. (2) (a) states:

“No person shall drive, ride or propel a vehicle containing any sawdust, solid waste or liquid waste, on any street in the City unless such vehicle shall be kept tightly and securely covered in such manner as to prevent any of such sawdust, solid waste or liquid waste from being blown, dropped or spilled from such vehicle.”

Health By-Law No. 6580 section 4.17 states:

“ No person shall deposit or cause to be deposited refuse, organic or inorganic waste, or noxious substance, upon any land or waters or upon any improvement constructed in, on or over such lands or waters.”

Solid Waste and Recycling By-Law section 7.2 (1) (a) and (b), (2) and (4) states:

“All private contractors operating within the City must comply with the following regulations:

(1) Containers must at all times be

(a) kept in good repair, and

(b) designed and maintained so as to prevent the intrusion of rain water or pests into the container and so as to contain any and all liquids comprising part of, or which escape from, the solid waste.

(2) All vehicles used for collection of solid waste that is liable to rot or putrefy must be of a closed metal type, suitably designed to contain the liquid by-products of any rotting or putrefaction.

(4) All collecting, transporting, processing, converting or salvaging of any solid waste, must be carried out so as not to be offensive or objectionable.”

Wastewater, Storm Water and Watercourse By-Law No. 8093 section 3.2 (1) states :

“No person shall cause or permit contaminated water or wastewater to be discharged to a storm sewer.”

The Vancouver Police Departments Commercial Vehicle Detail can pull over and ticket or lay charges under one or more of the applicable By-Laws. The Police Department have sent letters to the Waste Haulers advising them of actions which will be taken if their trucks leak hopper juice onto City roads. Appendix A.

Health and Environmental Implications

The composition of hopper juice is unknown. It would be fair to say that it would vary from truck to truck depending what was in the garbage they picked up. We do know from testing leachate at the landfill it does pass fish bio-assays tests. It would be very costly to perform analysis on hopper juice, because a full spectrum of testing would be required.
Hopper juices should be considered as contaminated and unsanitary with the potential of being harmful to members of the public that come into direct contact with such juices. Since direct contact by members of the public is likely quite low, the main problems associated with hopper juices are aesthetic in nature. These problems result in being a nuisance to the public.

Public Education

The public have a major role in preventing toxic materials from entering the waste stream. If toxic materials are kept out of the garbage containers, then any hopper juice produced has less potential to be harmful.

Stewardship programs are in place which should direct materials such as paint, oil, pesticides, anti freeze and solvents to proper disposal facilities. The Consumer Products Stewardship Program is made up of the BC Paint Care Association, the BC Solvent Care Association and the BC Pesticide Care Association, advertising of their programs is generally through notices (providing disposal information) which are posted at retail locations where these products are sold. Appendix B, provides background information about the Product Stewardship program.

Summary

City staff, including the Vancouver Police Department, have and will continue to respond to complaints and enforce by-laws when hopper juice leaks onto city streets. Working cooperatively with the Waste Haulers, leaking hopper juice incidents have lessened in some areas of the city and it is expected with continued diligence this can expand to the city at large and beyond.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver