Submitted by Jacqui Wakefield,
on behalf of the MNBP Waste Management and Diversion Committee
Here we are in March 2021, and the year ahead holds promise in so many ways! However, even as we look ahead to the arrival of spring, let’s also look back for a moment – to see what we learned about handling our waste and recycling in 2020.
The 2020 year-end reports were recently received from the Municipality’s contractor, Waste Management Canada. Given the unique challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, from temporary closures of the landfill sites last spring to the world-wide bans on travel, the reports raise some important questions but also offer some encouragement.
Waste and Recycling Increases
The summary chart below shows that the total amounts of both waste and recycling increased by about 7% in 2020. Waste went up to 947.6 tonnes and recycling to 522 tonnes.
Many factors likely contributed to these increases. One is that more residents were using curbside pick-up. The number of stops made by the WMC trucks reflects the number of households served, and that number increased about 4-5% last year. Corresponding amounts of waste and recycling received at the landfill sites did decrease, but not enough to offset the increases at curbside. Will this trend continue as more residents either move here or stay here throughout the year? Likely only time will tell.
Recycling has hit a plateau
Second, although the trends graph (below) shows some variability from year to year, our diversion rates (the amount of potential waste diverted from landfill through recycling) has hovered at around 35%.
What does this tell us for the future?
Unless we make some changes, the amount of waste going into our landfill sites will probably keep increasing. Our landfills are a precious municipal resource, so we want to keep them open as long as possible.
So what can we do?
“Reduce” and “ReUse” first! This is the key to decreasing both waste and recycling.
Cut food waste: A recent study (2019) found that organic and kitchen waste makes up about one-third of the waste disposed by Canadian households — with fruits, vegetables, breads and cereals being the most common. Studies also suggest that most of this waste could be avoided (eg: can those bread pieces become bread crumbs to top a casserole?).
For waste that is unavoidable, composting can significantly reduce the amounts ending in landfill. If you have not started to compost, now is also the time to begin. The Municipality and several local retailers have household composting units available, so please give them a call. An article with more on composting will appear in an upcoming edition of the Press. [Note: Do not add bread, cereals, meat and bones to backyard composter.)
Increase recycling: Can we do better with our recycling? Yes, and we have! In 2018, the year after curbside recycling was introduced throughout the municipality, we were up to about 38% diversion! We could get back to that level — and maybe even better.
Many of us realize there is a lot of controversy surrounding recycling, and there are some good reasons to be skeptical. We know that the marketplace for selling recyclable material is unstable at the moment. Since the “recycling closure” of China and many parts of Asia, there is an over-supply of recyclable material – and this may result in “dumping” rather than recycling. It is estimated that this happens up to 30% in some regions. In addition, the quality of recyclable material is being closely scrutinized by collectors and recyclers. This results in more rejection from “Contamination” [see below]. Then, there is the problem of plastic. With the world price of oil being low, it is cheaper to produce raw plastic than to recycle it, and the petroleum industry makes profits from plastic production.
One piece of good news is that aluminum and steel cans, cardboard and paper, and PET plastic all can be recycled in Ontario and Canada! PET (or PETE) plastic is marked #1 in the recycling symbol. It is found mostly in pop and water bottles, salad dressing containers, mouthwash bottles, and peanut butter containers. More recycling options for other plastics (#2-5) are developing.
Reduce contamination: The main challenge with these materials is keeping them clean so that are not rejected because of “contamination”.
1. Plastic grocery bags (which residents sometimes use to hold recycling) have been identified as the most common cause of contamination in recycling! They often hide non-recyclables and food waste AND they damage machinery at the recycling facility.
2. Food and beverage remnants in jars, cans and bottles are next. Although it can be a challenge (especially with the dreaded peanut butter jar), these items need to be thoroughly cleaned/rinsed. In most cases the lid should be removed and discarded before being placed in the blue box. If you can remove the label too, that is great.
Now is a good time to review what can be Recycled. This information is available on the Municipal website. Go to www.northbrucepeninsula.ca , and under “Municipal Services, click on “Waste Management”. Then click on “Recycling”. Items are listed, and there is a link to an informative “Recycling Fact Sheet”.
With very little time and effort, making these important changes can dramatically improve our Recycling!
Let’s get our numbers for 2021 back up there! Can we reach 40% diversion this year?
