News from Ontario - 2009

by Clayton Sampson

In the Ontario waste stream, the largest amount of material is generated in the Industrial, Commercial, Institutional (ICI) sector. This means that if Ontario is to reach its target of 60% waste diversion, ICI waste generators will be a major target and component. However, from the municipal point of view, this is a sector that has been traditionally left to deal with its waste in any way, shape or form that they can.

The ICI sector has been subject to a number of regulations under the Environmental Protection Act that were passed in 1994 that set the framework for diverting waste. Regulation 102, Waste Audit and Waste Reduction Work Plans, details the measures that generators have to take to measure the
amount of waste they produce and how to develop a plan to reduce and recycle all or parts of the
waste. Regulation 103, ICI Source Separation Programs, details what generators have to recycle and what measures they have to put in place to ensure that materials are recycled. There is also Regulation 104, Packaging Audits and Packaging Reduction Work Plans, which details what generators of large amounts of packaging materials have to do to measure and reduce their waste materials. Copies of the regulations are available at www.e-laws.gov.on.ca.

These regulations provide the necessary rules to make the ICI sector leaders in waste reduction, but they were not enforced by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to any great extent since they have been put in place. However, in the last couple of years the MOE seems to be paying more attention to ICI waste diversion. Resources have been made available and there are more field staff working with the generators in the ICI sector to assist in waste diversion efforts as well as to enforce the requirements of the regulations.

Another sign that speaks to the need for more recycling from the ICI sector is some of the recommendations in the Blue Box Program Plan (BBPP) Review. There are recommendations that will move to incorporate material and recycling efforts from ICI generators as part of the BBPP, which is not the case with the present plan. A copy of the report and recommendations is available here.

The direction that Ontario is heading with waste management is to incorporate more extended producer responsibility in the diversion programs. The Municipal Hazardous and Special Wastes program, Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment program and, the Used Tire program all have significant components dealing with the ICI sector. This direction is placing more direct responsibility on the ICI sector for reducing and recycling more of the waste they produce.

Remember, if you are looking for any information on waste management programs in Ontario, don't hesitate to contact Clayton at csampson@wdo.ca or phone 519.539.0869.

(Source: August 2009 WasteWatch)

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