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The City of Ottawa’s recycling rates were garbage compared to the provincial average in 2015, a grassroots waste watchdog says.
Waste Watch Ottawa, with help from students in an environmental sustainability course at the University of Ottawa, compiled diversion data after requesting the numbers through an access to information request. According to the statistics, the city submitted to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, the city diverted 42.5 per cent of its waste in 2015, compared to the provincial average of 47.7 per cent.
Waste Watch Ottawa says it’s a “worrying sign” that the city’s diversion rate dropped from the 45 per cent recorded in 2014.
The group says it also accessed a 2014-2015 waste composition study that suggests only half of Ottawa residents were using a green bin to keep organic waste out of the landfill. Between 40 and 65 per cent of garbage audited was recyclable or compostable material that could have been thrown into the black bin, blue bin or green bin, the group says.
The city is spending peanuts on recycling promotion and education to increase the diversion rate compared to other municipalities, according to the group.
While there are still 28 years worth of capacity at the municipal dump on Trail Road, the group says the time could be extended if more people use the recycling programs.
Garbage and recycling issues aren’t as prominent as they once were at city hall. There was a time not long ago that council was wrestling with starting an organics program — which ended up being controversial because of the brutal contract the city signed with Orgaworld — and switching to biweekly garbage pickup.
At the same time, the city seemed to be on the verge of a major breakthrough in municipal waste processing when it was working with Plasco to establish a “plasmafication” plant that would superheat trash, reducing it to rock-like material that could be used in construction, while powering electricity generators.
Plasco couldn’t afford to build a commercial facility, the company filed for creditor protection, and council trashed the deal. There hasn’t been an effort to find a replacement technology, largely due to the open capacity at the municipal dump.
The city hasn’t kickstarted its municipal waste plan exercise because it has been waiting to see what changes the provinces make to waste management regulations.
Compared to previous council terms, the lid hasn’t exactly been blown off the garbage file as politicians seem content with the status quo.
Waste Watch Ottawa wants the city to restart its waste planning and create initiatives in time for the 2019 budget process.
The group published a report on its research this week.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
Waste Watch Ottawa, with help from students in an environmental sustainability course at the University of Ottawa, compiled diversion data after requesting the numbers through an access to information request. According to the statistics, the city submitted to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, the city diverted 42.5 per cent of its waste in 2015, compared to the provincial average of 47.7 per cent.
Waste Watch Ottawa says it’s a “worrying sign” that the city’s diversion rate dropped from the 45 per cent recorded in 2014.
The group says it also accessed a 2014-2015 waste composition study that suggests only half of Ottawa residents were using a green bin to keep organic waste out of the landfill. Between 40 and 65 per cent of garbage audited was recyclable or compostable material that could have been thrown into the black bin, blue bin or green bin, the group says.
The city is spending peanuts on recycling promotion and education to increase the diversion rate compared to other municipalities, according to the group.
While there are still 28 years worth of capacity at the municipal dump on Trail Road, the group says the time could be extended if more people use the recycling programs.
Garbage and recycling issues aren’t as prominent as they once were at city hall. There was a time not long ago that council was wrestling with starting an organics program — which ended up being controversial because of the brutal contract the city signed with Orgaworld — and switching to biweekly garbage pickup.
At the same time, the city seemed to be on the verge of a major breakthrough in municipal waste processing when it was working with Plasco to establish a “plasmafication” plant that would superheat trash, reducing it to rock-like material that could be used in construction, while powering electricity generators.
Plasco couldn’t afford to build a commercial facility, the company filed for creditor protection, and council trashed the deal. There hasn’t been an effort to find a replacement technology, largely due to the open capacity at the municipal dump.
The city hasn’t kickstarted its municipal waste plan exercise because it has been waiting to see what changes the provinces make to waste management regulations.
Compared to previous council terms, the lid hasn’t exactly been blown off the garbage file as politicians seem content with the status quo.
Waste Watch Ottawa wants the city to restart its waste planning and create initiatives in time for the 2019 budget process.
The group published a report on its research this week.
jwilling@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JonathanWilling
查看原文...
