Sustainability Consultant Network presents:
Discuss the new Ontario Waste-Free
strategy and Bill 151
Sustainability Consultant Network
The goal is to share best practices in the sustainability field, create a network
of fellow environmental professionals, and to find ways to increase public’s
awareness for environmental preferred products, services, and policies.
We do cool things like analyzing case studies, researching sustainability
reports and policies, investigating eco-marketing campaigns, and discussing
current events. We also invite speakers from various organizations to talk
about their initiatives.
Overview
• Current State
• Current Policy Framework
• Breakout session
• New strategy/policy
• Other countries
• Discussion
Current State: Waste Hierarchy
 Waste diversion
 Goes to landfill
Current State: ON Waste Composition
Residental - : 27%
Waste
Residental - : 17%
Diverted
ICI - Diverted : 6%
ICI - Waste
: 50%
* ICI = Industrial, Commercial, and institutional
Source: Statistics Canada 2010
How does a recycle program work?
Materials Recovery Facility
How does a recycle program work?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_c-_nA6S5ck
Residential Waste composition
Residential Waste
-
Paper, Plastic, Glass, Metal: Curbside Blue Box program
(Provincial: Environmental Protection Act, Waste Diversion Act)
- Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers fund 50% of
the program, program managed by municipalities, and oversaw
by Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO)
-
Electronics, Tires, Hazardous Waste (Provincial: Waste Diversion
Act)
- Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers fund 100% of
the programs, oversee by WDO
-
Leaf and Yard Waste, Organics – Municipal Bylaws
ICI Waste composition
• E.g. Factories, Offices, Malls, Schools, Construction sites
• Government does not have good ICI waste data
ICI Waste – regulatory programs
-
3R Regulations (Provincial: Environmental Protection Act) –
organizations of above 10,000 sq ft. need to annually perform a
waste audit and have a waste reduction plan in place
-
Electronics, Tires, Hazardous Waste (Provincial: Waste Diversion
Act)
- Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers fund 100% of
the programs, oversee by WDO
-
Pharmaceuticals and sharps (Provincial: Environmental Protection
Act)
Common practices: organizations pay waste haulers to collect their
wastes. Waste diversion at large ICI space is regulated, but not strictly
enforced; and at small ICI space is voluntary, and it often costs more
Extended Producer Responsibility
• Provincial regulations require industry to meet waste diversion target for
designated materials, e.g. Electronics
• Stewardship agencies are formed by industry to manage waste diversion
program and put a price on it, called the Eco fee
• Most retailers made the business decision to pass on the fees to the
customers.
http://recyclemyelectronics.ca/qc/stewards/what-is-the-ehf-a-training-video/
ICI Waste – Voluntary programs
Reduce
- $0.10 discount if one brings her/his own mug – e.g. Tim Hortons,
Starbucks
-
Packaging less store – Farmer’s Market, Bulk Burn
Reuse
- Goodwill, Salvation Army, second hand stores, Kijiji etc.
Recycle
- Alcoholic beverage bottles – collect by Beer Store
-
Electronics, batteries, ink – collect by retailers such as Staples,
Best Buy
-
Clothing and Shoes: H&M, Levi’s (US), Nike
Some challenges:
• It costs to divert waste
• Lack of ICI waste data for the government to make good policy
• Waste audit and reduction plan is not enforced by the
government
• End of life materials often has low resell value
• Public awareness
• Lack of focuses on reduce and reuse – hard to measure too
Breakout session
Discuss about challenges faced by the
following parties when trying to reduce waste:
• Government
• Businesses
• Individual
Challenges:
Government:
• Lack of ICI data
• Lack of resources to enforce
• Maintain Ontario’s competitiveness
• Low focus on reduce: e.g. encourage second hand, sharing
economy
• Practical and easy for the public to understand, e.g. 2010 Eco
fee for Hazardous waste
• Public may perceive waste management fees (e.g. Eco fee) as a
tax grab
• Funding
Challenges:
ICI:
• It often costs more to divert waste properly, and there are lack
of incentives to do the right thing
e.g. Heinz closed ketchup plant in Leamington in 2014, partly
due to the Blue box fee they have to pay
• Ok to fund Blue Box program, but want it to be more efficient
• Level playing field – e.g. Online retailers? Newspaper?
• Different requirements in each province/municipality
• Might have no control over imported products/packaging
• No end market for waste
Challenges:
Individuals:
• Don’t know where to recycle things like electronics, batteries,
appliances (wastenothing.ca)
• Don’t know if ___ is recyclable for curbside
• Lack of incentives and choices, social norm
• Do not feel empowered to make a difference
What is in the new strategy:
Vision
1. Zero waste in the province
2. Zero greenhouse gas
emissions from the waste
sector
Objectives
1) Increase Resource
Productivity to Reduce Waste
2) Enable an Efficient and
Effective Recycling System
3) Create Conditions to Support
Sustainable End-Markets
What is in the new strategy:
• Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority to replace WDO,
focus on Data collection and enforcement
• Circular economy: provide incentives for the use of recycled
materials
• E.g. Government procurement policy – products made from
recycled content
• Ensure smooth transition to the new system
• Still have minimum focus on Reduce and Reuse
Linear
Circular economy
Example of products made in the Circular
Economy
New strategy: Residential Waste
-
Paper, Plastic, Glass, Metal: Blue Box program
- Producers funding goes up from 50% to 100% of the program,
but gain full control on program management
-
Electronics, Tires, Hazardous Waste
- Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers still fund
100% of the programs, but are given more flexible on how to
meet the diversion target
-
Looks to designate more materials: Light bulbs, household
appliances, carpets, mattresses
-
Propose an Organic ban
-
Leaf and Yard Waste – still municipal programs, no change
New strategy: ICI Waste
-
3R Regulations (Environmental Protection Act) – Review 3R
Regulations
-
Electronics, Tires, Hazardous Waste
- Extended Producer Responsibility – Producers still fund
100% of the programs, but are given more flexibility on how to
meet the diversion target
-
Looks to designate more materials: Light bulbs, household
appliances, carpets, mattresses
-
Pharmaceuticals and sharps – no change
Examples from other countries:
Sweden – 99% waste diversion rate
France – organic waste
Source: http://www.treehugger.com/green-food/france-passes-new-law-forbidding-food-waste.html
Conclusion
It’s still up to individuals and organizations to reduce waste, but
good policies can provide incentives for good actions and
penalizes bad ones
The new strategy might not be perfect, but still could be an
improvement from the current one
Enforcement is key
Next event
Marketing Eco-products and services –
Increasing awareness or Greenwashing?
Monday Apr 18th 6:00-7:30PM
CSI Annex