Latest news with #SolidWasteServices
CTV News
02-08-2025
- General
- CTV News
City of Ottawa staff are seeing more fires at the Trail Road landfill and they're blaming batteries
The tops of several batteries are seen in this undated photo. (Hilary Halliwell/Pexels) City of Ottawa staff say they're seeing an increase in the number of fires at the Trail Road landfill, and discarded batteries are the suspected cause. The news came in an email to city councillors this week from Shelley McDonald, Ottawa's director of Solid Waste Services. While updating councillors on what her department has been up to in the first half of the year, she raised a particular concern. 'There have been a greater number of fires at the landfill in 2025,' McDonald wrote under a section titled 'How residents can help.' 'If disposal in the garbage is the only option, please check and remove any batteries first which can cause fires at the landfill. Residents can use the City's Waste Explorer to find locations for the safe and convenient return of batteries,' she said. In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Jason Staniforth, manager of Waste Processing and Disposal, said staff have linked several fires to used batteries. 'The majority of these fires appear to be caused by ruptured batteries that were improperly disposed of in the regular garbage stream. These types of fires pose serious risks to waste facility staff, equipment, and the environment,' he wrote. According to Staniforth, there have been four fires at the landfill so far this year that required a response from Ottawa firefighters and each incident was reported to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. 'In response to an increase in incidents, the City has recently begun tracking every fire-related event at the landfill, regardless of the size or whether Ottawa Fire Services was required,' Staniforth said. 'While data is not yet available, when small-scale events occur, they are typically resolved on site by staff, who extinguish the fire by excavating and transferring hot waste to a non-flammable pad.' He is reminding residents to check discarded items for batteries before throwing them in the garbage. 'Items like toys, remote controls, greeting cards, vapes, and rechargeable tools often contain hidden batteries that can overheat and ignite under landfill conditions,' he said. There are five more household hazardous waste disposal events scheduled for this year. The next one is set to take place Aug. 9 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the City of Ottawa Trim Road Depot, at 2035 Trim Rd. You can see more household hazardous waste events on the city's website.
Business Wire
30-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Municipality of Anchorage Updates to Latest AMCS Platform, Showcasing Visionary Approach to Smart, Secure, and Sustainable Operations
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMCS, the leader in Performance Sustainability, today announced that the Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska, has selected the latest AMCS Platform to further modernize its operations. As the most populous city in Alaska, Anchorage is embracing innovation and sustainability by revamping its waste and recycling operations across multiple departments using a comprehensive suite of AMCS solutions. 'Our decision to move to the latest AMCS Platform reflects our commitment to forward-thinking, secure, and sustainable public service,' said Kelli Toth, Solid Waste Services Director, Municipality of Anchorage." Already an AMCS customer, the Municipality is taking a significant step forward by implementing a range of advanced modules, including Customer Portal, Smart Dispatch, Mobile, Scale, Mobile Grading, Academy, Telematics, RFID, and Vision AI, all delivered on the highly secure Microsoft Azure-based AMCS Platform. With the upgraded AMCS Platform, the Municipality of Anchorage is positioned to deliver even more reliable, efficient, and transparent waste and recycling services to residents and businesses, including enhanced curbside collection, streamlined landfill and transfer station operations, and improved access to billing, service requests, and account management through modern self-service tools. Furthermore, this modernization initiative also supports the Municipality's long-standing commitment to leveraging digital technology, operational efficiency, and data security. By adopting the latest AMCS Platform, the Municipality of Anchorage gains access to robust analytics, automated workflows, and AI-powered capabilities, enabling greater insight into business growth, enhanced asset utilization, and significantly reduced operational costs. 'Our decision to move to the latest AMCS Platform reflects our commitment to forward-thinking, secure, and sustainable public service,' said Kelli Toth, Solid Waste Services Director, Municipality of Anchorage. 'We view this as a foundational step in modernizing our commercial and residential collections, landfill, transfer stations, and Material Recovery Facility operations. AMCS gives us the solutions to streamline our processes, reduce costs, and improve service delivery all while future-proofing our infrastructure.' AMCS's industry-proven deployment best practices and award-winning solutions were key drivers behind the Municipality's decision. With the latest platform, Anchorage can also drive new revenue streams, and benefit from granular, real-time analytics, all from a highly scalable, secure environment suited for future expansion. 'Anchorage is demonstrating bold leadership by embracing time-tested, purpose-built advanced technology to transform how essential public services are delivered,' said Sean Coleman, General Manager for North America at AMCS. 'Their move to the latest AMCS Platform reflects a forward-looking vision, one that prioritizes operational excellence, citizen engagement, and long-term sustainability. We're proud to continue partnering with the Municipality in delivering intelligent, data-driven solutions that not only streamline services but also create measurable value for the community.' With its focus on Performance Sustainability, AMCS helps organizations and resource-intensive industries to sustain their businesses while demonstrating environmental and social responsibility. AMCS solutions support end-to-end optimization across transport, recycling/diversion, and sustainability initiatives, empowering companies to increase profitability while reducing environmental impact. About AMCS At AMCS we are focused on Performance Sustainability, enabling companies and resource-intensive industries to sustain their businesses while demonstrating environmental and social responsibility. Built on decades of experience, our purpose-built software solutions are designed by people who understand your business, providing practical solutions for a wide range of industries including the resource, waste, recycling, transportation, manufacturing, and utilities industries. Backed by EQT Private Equity, which acquired a majority stake in 2024, AMCS is headquartered in Ireland and operates globally with offices in Europe, the USA, and Australia. The company is a market leader with over 1,300 mission-driven team members. The combined expertise of our team allows AMCS to deliver innovative solutions and extensive insight, helping customers to drive growth and achieve lasting success. As a trusted global partner, we work with over 4,000 customers in more than 80 countries delivering digital solutions that create meaningful and measurable impact by increasing customer satisfaction, enhancing sustainability, and boosting margins. At AMCS, we're ready to innovate with you - deploying our experts, processes, and technology to drive your business forward and prepare you for success in a more sustainable, net zero carbon future. Learn more at:
CTV News
16-05-2025
- General
- CTV News
Spring yard waste pickup season kicks off Tuesday in Ottawa, here's what you need to know
The City of Ottawa says the spring peak leaf and yard waste season officially kicks off Tuesday. Throughout the season, waste collection operators will pick up separately set out leaf and yard waste at the curb until 8 p.m. everyday, said Shelley McDonald, the director of solid waste services in the city's public works department, in an email Friday. 'The peak season typically lasts for approximately four weeks but can be longer depending on yard waste quantities and the weather. All other times of the year, curbside waste, including leaf and yard waste is picked up by 6 p.m.,' reads the email. Residents are asked to take note of the changes regarding yard waste and leaf pickup, which are included in the 2026 Residential Curbside Collection Contract , the city says. According to the council-approved contract, operators will continue to pick up yard waste in 2026. However, residents will have to place their yard waste and leaves 'in brown bags or another suitable reusable container for collection, not mixed in with organic material in the green bin,' reads the email. The changes will allow operators to bring the waste to the Barnsdale leaf and yard compost pad at the Trail Waste Facility Landfill, the city says. It adds that the changes are more cost effective than bringing the waste to the contracted organics processing facility. The spring peak leaf and yard waste season takes place two times per year, in the fall and in the spring. More information about yard waste is available online.
