Where does all the garbage go?
There are three types of garbage that are categorized in Guelph: organics, recyclables, and actual “garbage.”
For three decades, Guelph has been a pilot city for new ways to separate waste. The original project, dating back to 1987, was the “blue box” program. Completely unheard of at the time, Guelphites were cajoled not only into dividing their garbage, but also having to “think” about how and why trash becomes split. This issue still plagues many in Guelph, particularly out-of-town students at the university.
Now, of course, most people in Guelph are well aware of the ways in which to separate their trash. Cellophane wrapper in the “clear” bag, used prophylactic and banana peels in the “green” bag, and tissue boxes in the “blue” bag.
The Ontarion recently had a chance to ask Heather Connell, Guelph’s Solid Waste Resource Manager, about the “ins and outs” of where our local garbage actually goes.
The costly biodegradable program may perhaps be more “moral,” Connell said, but the more efficient cost-effective way to rid us of garbage is through the “bury or burn” method.
When asked what percentage of garbage is composted or goes to the landfill, Connell said that “in 2012, the City achieved an overall waste diversion rate of 68 per cent, exceeding the Solid Waste Management Master Plan target of 65 per cent by 2016. Since implementing the SWMMP in 2008, the City’s residential diversion rate has increased by 30 per cent.”
As a result of a number of new City of Guelph initiatives – which include the opening of the Organic Waste Processing Facility, new sorting procedures for the recovery of glass, the recycling of construction and demolition materials, and electronic waste recycling – the diversion increase has been effective.
According to Connell, the Organic Waste Processing Facility that processes Guelph’s organic waste into clean, nutrient-rich compost may be costlier, but “it is the responsible thing to do in order to reduce climate impacts, divert waste from landfill, and create clean compost that can be put back into the earth.”
A new initiative that Guelph has been implementing is the use of waste-carts instead of plastic bags. At a total cost of $8.8 million, the waste-cart program will help in decreasing Guelph’s carbon footprint. With a $1.3 million grant from Waste Diversion Ontario, the Continuous Improvement Fund will include automated trucks, ultimately resulting in having the need for fewer trucks and drivers, saving the City “$460,000 annually,” said Connell.
When asked how the city plans to get people to comply with the rules, Connell revealed that the city has in fact passed the Waste Management By-law, which is enforced by waste compliance by-law officers. In addition to the “garbage police,” Connell said that the “new automated collection trucks are equipped with a camera to view waste material emptied into the appropriate compartments. This camera will identify improperly sorted items, and Solid Waste Resources staff will follow up with home owners or tenants to address any questions about Guelph’s sorting system.”
Connell said that to encourage people to be more self-sufficient, the City of Guelph promotes waste reduction initiatives by encouraging residents to participate in five programs. These include: Take It Back directory, Bike Reuse Program, Goods Exchange Weekend, Waste Diversion Education Centre, and Home Composting. Of course, on campus, there is also the “Move Out Madness” and the “Right Foot Forward” program offered through the University of Guelph.
Clearly, we all have a role to play in managing our waste. Connell said that “the City of Guelph is taking a leadership role in waste minimization and diversion for a sustainable, service-focused and economically viable future.”