Waste crisis looming

Posted by Stephen Rhodes

Rob Cook, Executive Director of the Ontario Waste Management Association (OWMA), says there is a crisis looming in waste management unless an integrated strategy is adopted.

Rob is responsible for the overall management & operation of the association, government advocacy initiatives at all levels of government and the development of public policy positions relative to the private sector view of waste management issues.

The private sector manages about 90 % of the industrial and commercial waste produced in the province. "We are facing serious issues and most are not aware."

Ontario , population 12.2 million people, produces 13.8 million tons of waste a year. After recycling that leaves 9. 4 million tons. Every day 370 tractor trailers take our waste to Michigan.

The people of Michigan don't want Ontario's garbage and there is legilstion before the House of Rpresentatives, if approved, will close the border, leaving Ontario in a crsis situation.

"At best we could manage for two days," Rob says

Compounding the problem is the planned reduction of landfill sites by 2010. In effect we will have capacity for 1.5 million tons, when today we are producing 9.4 million tons and that doesn't take into account growth over the next four years.

The solution says Rob is an integrated waste management system that incoporates landfill, incineration, composting, recycling, reduction and collection.

"We also need a balanced approach to public policy, a streamlined approval process and that requires leadership from the Ontario government."