GUELPH – The City of Guelph and County of Wellington have launched the Circular Opportunity Innovation Launchpad’s (COIL) Civic Innovation Challenge to help a local business develop an innovative solution to facilitate the on-site separation and recycling of construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) materials.
The $15,000 challenge is the latest initiative being delivered as part of COIL’s recently-launched Zero Waste Economic Transformation Lab which aims to deliver circular economy strategies that reduce or redirect waste.
An Aug. 31 press release from COIL states CRD materials, such as concrete, drywall, cabinetry, and lumber, make up approximately one third of the waste Canadians send to landfills every year.
“If properly separated, most of these materials can be reused or recycled,” the release states.
Through the Civic Innovation Challenge COIL is looking for a local business or innovator interested in developing a new business model to support on site source separation, alternative waste hauling methods or other innovative ideas to divert materials for small industrial, commercial or institutional and residential construction, renovation and demolition projects. A winner will be awarded $15,000 to pilot their new system in collaboration with the Smart Cities Office and the City’s Solid Waste Resources department.
“We know there are lots of places around the world where they’ve made source separation and recycling the norm for construction waste, and we’re looking for innovative companies that want to lead that change in Guelph-Wellington and across southern Ontario,” states COIL manager David Messer.
“Since we’ve started mapping the local construction system, we know that source separation at the job site is an important to the diversion of valuable materials from landfill and will support the development of new circular economy businesses,” he added.
The challenge is being supported by Co-operators as part of its funding to support a circular economy.
“For the last nine years, our claims team at Co-operators has been actively working to divert materials from property claims away from landfills and back into the economy to make our communities more sustainable and resilient,” said Co-operators’ associate vice-president for sustainability Tom Ewart.
“We’re delighted to take our efforts to the next level with COIL and are excited to see this Civic Innovation Challenge launched,” Ewart added.
COIL welcomes a range of potential proposal ideas and approaches in support of the overall goal to reduce CRD materials being sent to landfill.
An information session will be held for interested bidders on Sept. 13 at 2pm. To register go to coil.eco.
More information on bidding for the challenge, including a tender package can be found on the City of Guelph’s bids opportunity website, guelph.bidsandtenders.ca.
Closing date for bids is Oct. 5.
