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State of Waste: How B.C. compares in the war on trash

February 2019

Highlights• B.C.produceslesssolidwastepercapitaanddivertsmorematerialstorecyclingandcompostfacilitiesthanevery

otherCanadianprovince,afterNovaScotia.

• InMetroVancouver,approximately1,400kilogramsoftotalwasteperperson–theequivalentweightofamid-sizedautomobile–isgeneratedinoneyear.

• Vancouverproduced318kilogramsofgarbagepersinglefamilyresidencein2017,oneofthelowestamountsinMetroVancouver,whileRichmondproducedjust292kilogramspersinglefamilyresidencein2017.*

• MostofthewasteVancouversendstolandfillorincineratescomesfromconstructionanddemolitionsites,andiscomposedchieflyofwoodandscrapmetal.

• Spoiledanduneatenfoodrepresentsabout25%ofallresidentialgarbageinB.C.,morethananyothertypeofwaste.

• InMetroVancouver,20,000tonnesofclothingaredisposedofannually.Thatrepresentsmorethan2%ofalloftheregion’sgarbage.

• Recyclingandcompostingeffortsdivertwastefromlandfillsbutmoreemphasisisneededonwasteavoidance,andontheconsequencesofunnecessaryconsumption.

• Toreducetheamountsofwasteoursocietyproduces,thereportrecommends:

n Individualsandhouseholdsacceptthezerowastechallenge,andtracktheamountofwastetheyproduce.

n Governmentsatalllevelsstandardizeandmakepublicallcurrentwastecollection,diversionanddisposaldata.

n Companiesandorganizationsestablishmandatorywastereductionandpaper-freeprogramsintheworkplace.

Make Good Money (TM) is a trademark of Vancouver City Savings Credit Union.

*VancouverrestateditsdataafterthisreportwasfirstpublishedonFebruary5,2019.DatainitiallyprovidedbyRichmondisnowincluded.

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Despite some victories, B.C.’s war on waste is far from overWesell,weconsume,wethrowout.Oursocietygeneratesvastquantitiesofsolidwaste,unwantedstuffthatistoooftendismissedasworthlesstrash,tossedintobins,loadedintotrucksandhauledtoateeminglandfillfacilitywhereitsitsoutofsight,outofmind.Butgarbagecannotbeignored.Aroundtheworld,solidwasteproductionisincreasingfasterthananyotherenvironmentalpollutant,andlandfillsareresponsiblefor5%ofallgreenhousegasemissions,includinghighlevelsofmethane.1

Canadiansinparticularareamongtheworld’smostprolificwasteproducers.2HereinBritishColumbia,morethan2.6milliontonnesofgarbagewentintolandfillsin2016.That’s549kilogramsforeverypersonintheprovince.3

Thatisunsustainable.Butitwouldbewrongtosimplyblameindividuals.AstheUnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeandtheVancouver-basednon-profitOneEarthnotedinarecentreport,people“donotintentionallysetouttocreateharmfulenvironmentalimpacts;theseimpactsareanunintendedconsequenceofpeople’seffortstofulfilltheirneedsandaspirations.”4

Thefactis,weliveinasystemwhereconsumptionisemphasizedmorethanconservation.Thisleadsinevitablytomorewasteproduction,andtocomplexproblems.Whatshouldwedowithwhatwedon’tuse?Moretothepoint,howcanweavoidmakingwasteinthefirstplace?Nomatteritsorigin–whetherwastecomesfrompackagedgoods,fromworkplaces,constructionsitesandothercommercialenterprises–weallhaveahandinit.

Whilemostofourcitiesandtownshavemodernandsophisticatedsolidwastemanagementsystems,discardedgoodsandmaterialsarefrequentlygivenimpropertreatment:plasticsareflushedintoourriversandoceans;industrialwastesometimesendsuponagriculturalland,renderingitunproductive.Usedclothing,whenitisn’tdisposedorresold,isoftenshippedabroad,whereitbecomessomeoneelse’sproblem.

ThisreportexaminestheextentofthesolidwasteproblemacrossB.C.,usingavailableinformationfromnumerousopensourcesandreportingjurisdictions.Itdemonstratesthatagrowingproportionofthesolidwastewegenerateisnolongertreatedasuselessdetritusanddumpedintolandfillsorincinerated.Infact,datacompiledbyStatisticsCanadashowtheamountofgarbage–ordisposedwaste–producedacrossthecountryistrendingdown,yeartoyear.AndamongCanadianprovinces,onlyNovaScotiadisposeslesswastepercapitathanB.C.(seeFigure1).5

Figure 1: Waste disposed, kilograms per capita

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland

& Labrador

Canada

2016totalwaste 2016residentialwaste B.C.’s2020totaltarget–350kilograms

Sources:StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0031andStatisticsCanada2016populationfigures(est)

Kilo

gram

s

549

195

993

307

782

299

735

234

678

265

644

362

664

298

396

179

780

688

282

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Morewasteisbeingdiverted instead,torecyclingandcompostingfacilities.Newprogramshavebeenimplementedtopromote,evenenforce,wastediversion.Forexample,adisposalbanonorganics(foodandpaperwaste)andcleanwoodwassuccessfullylaunchedacrosstheMetroVancouverregionaldistrictin2015.AccordingtoMetroVancouver,theorganicsdisposalban“increaseddiversionbyabout60,000tonnesinitsfirstyearalone.”6

Industries,businessesandindividualsareclearlyheedingthemessageandaredoingmoretoeliminatelandfillwaste,withdiversionrates–thepercentageoftotalmunicipalsolidwastedivertedfromlandfillsandincineration–risingacrossB.C.Butfew,ifany,communitiesappearonpacetoreachacommonly-shared80%diversiontargetsetfortheyear2020.

Diversionisalwayspreferredtodisposal,butithasnotsolvedthewasteproductionproblem.Indeed,concernsareoftenraisedthatanemphasisondiversion–ratherthanavoidance–canleadtocomplacency,creatingthe“illusion”thataslongaswastedoesnotgointoalandfill,itissomehowacceptable.7

Anddiversiondoesnotcomewithoutsignificanteffortandcost.Everyemptysodacan,pizzaboxandorangepeelmustbecollected,transported,storedandeventuallyre-purposed.Eachstepinthediversionprocessconsumesresources,energyandmoneythatcouldbespentonotherthings.TheCityofVancouverwasforecasttospendalmost$15millionjustoncompostcollectionin2017.8

Combined,MetroVancouver’sdisposedanddivertedwaste–ormunicipalsolidwaste–weighedinatnearlyfourmilliontonnesin2016.That’s1,370kilogramsforeveryperson,theequivalentweightofamid-sizedautomobile–orthreegrandpianos.9Handlingallofthismaterialismassivelycomplexandexpensive.In2014,forexample,almost$500millionwasspentmanagingB.C.’smunicipalsolidwaste,fromcollectiontodisposal,recyclingandcomposting.10Andwithlandfillsnearingcapacity,currentwastemanagementsystemsarereachingoperationallimits.

Onesolutionseemsobvious.Wecanstopmakingwaste.B.C.’sregionaldistrictsandvariousmunicipalitiesareawareoftheproblemandareputtingmoreemphasisonwasteavoidance andreduction,twopreferredstrategiesatthetopofthefamiliarwastemanagementhierarchy:Avoid, reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, dispose.

Avoid

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle

Recover

Dispose

What goes into our municipal solid waste systems?The type of waste under discussion in this report – municipal solid waste – includes a lot more than the common detritus pushed out of our homes. In fact, residential waste represents less than half of the total amount of municipal solid waste generated in Canada each year. There are two other sources: industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) waste from factories, offices, hotels, restaurants, schools and hospitals; and demolition, land-clearing and construction (DLC) waste, which is mainly composed of building materials.

The amount and specific type of waste produced by each municipal solid waste source varies from place to place. It should not surprise that cities experiencing population growth and industrial expansion produce a preponderance of DLC waste. For example, most of the waste the City of Vancouver sends to landfill or incinerates comes from construction and demolition sites, and is composed chiefly of wood and scrap metal. In 2016, “compostable” food and food-soiled paper from residential and ICI sources represented the city’s second largest component of disposed waste, at 29%.11 It should have been diverted. Unfortunately, it was thrown out with the garbage instead.

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Ambitiouswastereductiontargetshaverecentlybeenintroduced,suchastheCityofVancouver’s“ZeroWaste”goalfortheyear2040.12Whilethecitycallsitszerowastetarget“aspirational,”progressisbeingmade.Vancouverreporteda23%reductioninsolidwastedisposalin2017,fromits2008baselineamount.13

Encouragingindividualsto“buyin”toinitiativessuchasthezerowastechallengeisreallyjustapieceofthepuzzle.Comingtogripswiththesizeoftheproblem–measuringtheamountsofourwastethatwegenerate,dispose,divertandcanultimatelyavoidandreduce–isjustasimportant.Itisalsonotoriouslydifficult,becausecalculationsandmetricsvarybyjurisdiction.Somedataaresimplymissing,makingaccuratecountsandcomparisonsacomplicated,sometimesimpossible,task.

ManylargeurbancentresinB.C.engageprivatecontractorstocollectandhaulwaste,recyclablesandcompostfrommulti-familyresidences,suchasapartmentandcondominiumbuildings.Datafromtheseprivatesourcesarenotalwaysmadepublic,noraretheyrequiredtobe.Asaresult,somecitiesdonothaveordonotsharecompletewastedisposalanddiversionnumbers.Somerelyonestimates,whichdonotprovideacompletepictureoflocaldiversionactivitiesandparticipation.

WastemanagementdataforFirstNationsandsmallandruralregionaldistrictsarealsolacking.TheGovernmentofBritishColumbiahasrecognizedthatingeneral,thesecommunitiesface“distinctchallenges”regardingwaste-relatedservicesduetodispersedpopulations.FirstNationsinparticularrequirespecificconsultationandengagementstrategiestomeasureandimproveoutcomes,accordingtotheprovincialgovernment.14

Despitedatagaps,thewastesituationcanstillbeassessed.Thisreportdemonstratesthequantityandtypeofwasteproduced,disposedanddiverted,andwhereiteventuallyendsup.Thereportalsocomparesreductioninitiativesandprogress,identifiessuccessesandsetbacks,andoffersrecommendationstogovernment,industryandindividualsthatmayhelpoursharedspaces,cities,provinceandplanetbecomecleaner,healthierandmorebeautiful.

Taking out the trash: Waste disposalNotallwasteistreatedequally.Itisimportanttounderstandthedifferencebetweendisposedwasteanddivertedwaste.Thelatteristreatedasacommodityanddirectedtorecyclingandcompostingfacilitiesforprocessingandre-use,whiletheformerisconsideredgarbageandsenteithertolandfillsortoanincinerationplant,suchasMetroVancouver’sWaste-to-Energy“mass-burn.”TheBurnaby-basedfacilityreceivesaboutone-quarteroftheregionaldistrict’sgarbageandconvertsitintoelectricity,whichisthensold.15

DespiteitspopularityincountriessuchasSwedenandGermany,wasteincinerationremainscontroversialhereathome,evenwithimprovedtechnologiesthatcanreduceandcontaintoxicemissions.What’smore,somearguethatremovingwastethroughincinerationsendsamessagethatwasteproductioncanbeeasilymanagedandisthereforeokay.

Thefactremains,disposedwaste–viathelandfillorincineration–istheleastdesirableformofmunicipalsolidwasteproducedbyhumans.Yetitisthemostcommon.

AccordingtoStatisticsCanada,almost25milliontonnesofnon-hazardoussolidwasteweredirectedtopublicandprivatedisposalfacilitiesacrossthecountryin2016.Thatincludesresidentialwaste,industrial,commercialandinstitutionalwasteanddemolition,land-clearingandconstructionwaste,andrepresents688kilogramsofgarbageperperson.

B.C.produced549kilogramsofgarbageperpersonin2016,or30%lessthanthenationalpercapitaaverage.Theprovincealsomanagedtoreduceitspercapitawastedisposalby15%between2008and2016;onlyQuebecpostedabetterreductionrate(17%)overthesameperiod.16Whileencouraging,thereductionratemustincreaseifB.C.istomeetaprovince-widewastedisposaltargetfortheyear2020,setat350kilogramspercapita.Aprevioustarget–550kilogramsperperson–wassetin2013,andhasbeenmet,butjustbarely.17Withoutrapidsystemicimprovementsandgreaterpublicparticipation,thelatest,moreaggressivetargetwon’tbereachedbydeadline.

B.C.’s waste-reduction rate must increase to meet its 2020 target.

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Figure 2: Waste disposed per capita, B.C. regional districts

1200

1000

800

600

400

200

0Bulkley-Nechako

Central Coast

Comox-Strathcona

Fraser Fort George

Metro Vancouver

Nanaimo

North Okanagan

Squamish-Lillooet

2016 2012 2020target

Source:EnvironmentalReportingB.C.,“MunicipalSolidWasteDisposalinB.C.1990-2016”

Kilo

gram

s

Peace River

Capital

Central Kootenay

Cowichan

Kitimat-Stikine

Kootenay Boundary

Mount Washington

North Coast

Okanagan

Sunshine Coast

Powell River

Cariboo

Central Okanagan

East Kootenay

Alberni-Clayquot

Columbia-Shuswap

Fraser Valley

Thomson-Nicola

Moreactionisrequired,especiallyattheresidentiallevel,where36%oftheprovince’sgarbagewasproducedin2016.Thisdoesnotcomparewelltopreviousyears:In2008,forexample,householdsproduced34%ofB.C.’sgarbage.Inotherwords,theproportionofsolidwastethatcomesfromourhomesisontherise.18

Onthebrightside,someregionaldistricts–allofthemonVancouverIsland–havealreadymetorsurpassedthe350kilogramtarget.TheCapitalRegionalDistrict,whichincludestheCityofVictoria,recorded348kilogramsofgarbageperpersonin2016.TheRegionalDistrictofCowichanweighedinwith346kilogramspercapita.AndtheRegionalDistrictofNanaimodisposedofjust341kilograms,makingitB.C.’swasteavoidancepace-setter(seeFigure2).19

Becausewastecollectionmethodsanddatareportingarenotuniform,comparingdisposalratesatthemunicipallevelinB.C.ischallenging.InMetroVancouver,wastecollectedfromonemunicipalitymaybeco-mingledwithwastefromanadjacentcommunitybeforedisposal.Asnotedpreviously,somecitiesrelyonprivatecompaniestocollectresidentialandcommercialwasteanddonotsharetheirdatawiththegeneralpublic.

Butitispossibletocalculateandcomparetheamountofwastegeneratedpersingle-family residence(SFR),byjurisdictionsthatreportsuchdata.ThisapproachrevealssurprisingdisparitiesamongcitiesinMetroVancouver,wheremorethanhalfofB.C.’stotalsolidwasteisgenerated.20

6

500

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0

Figure 3: Kilograms of waste disposed per single-family residence, 2017

Sources:MunicipalwastedisposaldataandStatisticsCanadapopulationdata

*SurreyandWestVancouverdidnotprovidedata.

*Delta’swastedisposedpersinglefamilyresidencein2017wascalculatedforthisreportas465kgs;however,Delta’sfigureincludeswastecollectedfromcivicfacilitiesandbusstops.

Port Coquitlam

Port Moody

Pitt Meadows

City of Langley

Coquitlam

New Westminster

Lions Bay

Township of Langley

District of N. Vancouver

Richmond

Burnaby

White Rock

389

343322 318

219188

361 356 349 340

284

197

Vancouverproduceslesssingle-familyresidentialwastefordisposalthanmanyothermunicipalitiesinitsregionaldistrict.21In2017,Vancouversent318kilogramsofwasteperSFRtolandfillortoincineration.ResidentsoftheCityofNorthVancouver,bycontrast,disposedofjust197kilogramsofwasteperSFRinthesameyear.SeveralotherlargecentressuchasSurreyandWestVancouverdidnotsharetheirSFRwastedisposaldata.(SeeFigure3).

Thesedisposalratesaresimplyunsustainable;afterall,landfillsdonothaveunlimitedcapacity.MetroVancouver’sonedesignatedlandfillfacility,locatedinDelta,received68%oftheregion’sannualdisposedwastein2017,or736,000tonnes.Thatwasa6%increase

fromthepreviousyear.The52-year-oldlandfill,now320hectaresinsize,willreachitsmaximumcapacityin2031atthecurrentrate.22

Landfillsalsocontaintoxinswhichcanleachintosoilandgroundwater,andtheyproducegreenhousegases,includingmethane,whichcandamagetheenvironmentandendangerhumanhealth.MostofthemethanegeneratedattheVancouverlandfilliscaptured,andistheneitherflaredorpipedoff-sitetogenerateelectricity,someofwhichisusedtoheatlocalgreenhousesorsoldtoBCHydro.23Butmanylandfillsacrosstheprovincearenotequippedtomanagetheirgasemissionsasefficiently.Provincialregulationsonlyrequirethatlandfillgasiscapturedandflared.24

318292

City of N. Vancouver

Vancouver

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Food waste is staggeringGlobally, one-third of all food produced for human consumption is either thrown away after purchase or spoiled during production, preparation, transportation and sales.25 It should come as no surprise that people in countries where food is abundant are the most prolific wasters. Canadians, for example, disposed of $31 billion worth of uneaten food in 2014 – mostly fruits, vegetables and meat – or the equivalent of 396 kilograms per person.26 27

Almost half of the food that we waste in this country is discarded from our own homes. A 2014 study revealed the extent of the problem in Metro Vancouver, where the equivalent of 80,000 potatoes, 70,000 cups of milk, 55,000 apples, 40,000 tomatoes, 32,000 loaves of bread and 30,000 eggs are wasted each day, at an annual cost of about $700 per household.28

Waste composition studies conducted in various B.C. communities reveal that spoiled and uneaten food represents about 25% of all residential garbage thrown into landfills or incinerated. That’s more than any other type of material we discard. Worse, most of that food waste is compostable. While by-laws banning compostable food waste from garbage disposal already exist in some jurisdictions, a lot of food still ends up in the dump and cannot be repurposed.29

This can easily be avoided. Individuals can do their part, by obtaining only the food they and their families

require, and by composting – rather than disposing – what cannot be consumed, such as peels, pits and bones. It’s important to remember that access to convenient waste collection programs – including compost – is not a valid reason to discard food. Edible food should never be considered “surplus” or unwanted.

“Best before” dates stamped on many food items are also misunderstood. Research has found that 80% of consumers use these labels to determine whether to throw away food or keep it. In fact, “best before” dates are meant to indicate food quality, not food safety or expiry. Most food items can be consumed with confidence after the “best before” date has passed. Canada’s National Zero Waste Council has recently called for “greater clarity about the information these date labels provide” to “reduce the unnecessary disposal of safe and healthy food, either by consumers or businesses who remove them prematurely from their shelves.”30

Spoiled and uneaten food represents about 25% of all residential garbage thrown into landfills or incinerated.

Vancouver’s Food Stash Foundation rescues food that might otherwise be thrown away.

Credit: David Schein

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Fashion fast to landfillTextiles may not always come to mind when thinking about waste, but they represent one of the world’s fastest-growing streams of discarded material. Textiles include all forms of fabric, including materials used to make clothing. In the developed world, where “fast fashion” industries encourage consumers to purchase new apparel in quick succession, more used clothes are being tossed into landfills. In Metro Vancouver alone, 20,000 tonnes of apparel are disposed of annually. That represents more than 2% of all of the region’s garbage.31

at present levels. “Globally, only 0.1% of collected textile waste is made into new garments,” they note. This is due in part to the fact that synthetic fibres including polyester and acrylic represent 55% of the global fibre market, and “such fibres are difficult to recycle.” In addition, synthetics when washed can shed micro plastics, which end up in rivers, lakes, oceans and potentially the food chain.33

The authors suggest that apparel industries move from “fast fashion” to “circular fashion,” a system that minimizes “waste and environmental impacts while maximizing profits. Apparel circulating through the circular fashion system is designed so that it becomes a resource (asset) instead of a waste (liability) at the end of its life. In practice, this translates to products that are designed to last; and products that are designed to be recycled or returned to the biological cycle at the end of their useful life. Circular fashion employs the following circular business models to maximize the profits from each garment in circulation: repair and maintenance, rent and resell, recertify and reimagine, and closed-loop recycling.”34

Most clothing material made from natural fibres can be reused and repurposed. Opportunities for closed-loop recycling – in which the waste of one process or product is used in making another – seem obvious when it comes to many worn fabrics. Used clothing can also be sold or given away. But those solutions are either being ignored or aren’t as effective as one might expect.

For example, putting used clothing into a charity donation box is no guarantee it will ever be worn again or repurposed. In Canada, only 25% of all donated clothes are resold or reused locally, according to one recent news report. Most donated clothes are exported to developing world countries, where they often remain unused. In the event they are resold, they can disrupt domestic textile and apparel trades.32

The authors of a local report that examines the clothing waste situation say that “rapidly changing trends” and “relatively low prices” have created an environment in which clothes are now considered disposable, like paper. Textile recycling is insufficient

In Canada, only 25% of all donated clothes are resold or reused locally.

A clothing fix-it, organized by Vancouver’s Frameworq Education Society. Credit: Hamid Attie

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Ditching the dump: Waste diversionDivertingmunicipalsolidwastefromdisposalstreamsandlandfillsiseasierthanever,especiallyforurbandwellers.Recyclingandcompostingprogramsarenowcommonplace,thefamiliarblueandgreenbinspracticallyubiquitous.

Thebenefitsaresignificant.Recyclingmaterialssuchaswood,pulpandpaper,plastics,glassandmetalshelpspreventthedepletionofnaturalresources.Italsocreateseconomicopportunities,withmorecompaniesproducingnewproductsfromdivertedmaterials.Lessenergy–fossilfuel,forexample–isrequiredtoproducerecycledgoodsthansimilaritemsmadefromrawmaterials.Compostingyardwasteandfoodscraps–byfarthemostcommonsourcesofresidentialwaste–produceshealthynewsoilthatreturnsnutrientstotheearthandhelpscurberosion,amongotherthings.Organicwastethatistrappedinalandfillproducesmethane,apowerfulgreenhousegas.Treatedascompost,thesamewasteproducescarbondioxide,whichismuchlessharmfultotheenvironmentthanmethane.35

Themessageisbeingheard.A2017surveyofmorethan800B.C.adultsconductedforVancityrevealedthat85%ofrespondentsrecycle“allthetime,”while50%compost“allthetime.”Andasnotedearlier,provincialdiversionrates–thepercentageoftotalwastegeneratedthatgoesintorecyclingorcompostingfacilities–areincreasing,withB.C.helpingleadtheway.Unfortunately,diversiondatacollectionandcalculationsbygovernmentsareinconsistentattheregionalandmunicipallevels;therearenostandarddiversionreportingmetricsforB.C.communities.Thismakesyearbyyear,sourcebysourceprogressdifficulttomeasureandcompare.

Forexample,someB.C.municipalitiesreportdiversionratesforsingle-familyresidencesonly;othersdonotdistinguishbetweensingle-familyresidences,multi-familyresidences,businessesandindustry.Afewmunicipalitiesdonotcollectorreportdiversionfiguresatall.TheCityofVancouveradoptedadiversionrateof62%for2016,butthefigurewasborrowedfromMetroVancouver’soveralldiversionrate,whichcovers21municipalities,oneElectoralArea(theUniversityofBritishColumbia)andoneTreatyFirstNation(TsawwassenFirstNation).3637

MetroVancouver’sdiversionrateincludeswastefromallresidential,industrial,commercialandresidentialanddemolition,landclearingandconstructionsources.38Theratehasclimbedsteadilysince1994,whenitwasbelow40%,andisnowthebestamongCanadianmunicipalitiesthatreportsuchdata(seeFigure4).39

MosturbanmunicipalitiesinB.C.arestrivingtomeetan80%diversionratetarget,nowcommonformanyNorthAmericancities,fortheyear2020.Someappeartobewithinstrikingdistance.PittMeadows(78%),PortMoody(75%),Langley(70%),theDistrictofNorthVancouver(64%),Burnaby(59.4%)andNewWestminster(56%)areallmovingintherightdirectionwiththeiroveralldiversionrates.OnVancouverIsland,Esquimaltclaimsa64%rate,whileVictoriaandtheDistrictofSaanicharewellbehind,at46%and40%respectively.40

EventhemostlacklustrediversionratesinB.C.demolishedthenationalaverage(27%)in2016.Province-wide,B.C.’stotalwastediversionratein2016was40%;onlyNovaScotia(44%)claimedahigherrate.B.C.andNovaScotiasharedthecountry’shighestresidentialwastediversionrate,at46%(seeFigure5).41

Whilemoreinformationisrequiredbeforelocaldiversioneffortscanbefullyassessed,MetroVancouverdoesoffersomeusefuldata.ArecentMetroVancouverreportquantifiesthetypeandsourceofwastedivertedfromtheregion’sdisposalstream.Concreteisbyfarthemostcommonmaterialrecycled,withalmostofallofitcomingfromdemolition,constructionandland-clearing(DLC)sources;thiscorrespondstotheregion’shousingboom.Accordingtoonereport,constructionwastealoneincreased40%inMetroVancouverfrom2011to2015.42Andin2016,halfofallwastedivertedintheregioncamefromtheDLCsector,infact,whilejust18%camefromresidentialsources–mostofityardandfoodwaste(seeFigure6).43

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%

10%

0%

Figure 4: Diversion rate (% of total waste generated)

62

Metro Vancouver*

61

5146

43

36

Halifax Toronto* Victoria* Montreal Edmonton

Source:Municipalwebsites*2017dataTotalwastegenerated,2016

10

Figure 5: Diversion rate (% of waste generated) by province, 2016

50%

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%British Columbia

Alberta

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Ontario

Quebec

New Brunswick

Nova Scotia

Newfoundland

& Labrador

Canada

Totalwastediverted Residentialwastediverted Sources:StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0031andTable38-10-0033

40

46

17

26

1618 18

27 26

37

31

23 23 23

4446

9

27

33

Figure 6: Diverted materials, by type, 2016

45%

40%

35%

30%

25%

20%

15%

10%

5%

0%All paper fibres

GlassFerrous metals

Copper & aluminum

Mixed metals

White goods

Plastics

TiresConstruction,

reno & demo

Other

Canada B.C.

39

34

46 5

31 1 1

3 4 4 42 2 2

Organics

28

34

41

7 7

Source:StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0034-01

Asnotedearlier,diversionisbetterthandisposal,butitisnopanaceatoourmassivewasteproblem.Thereisnosuchthingasaperfectwastediversionsystem.Compostandrecyclingcontaminationisacommon–andexpensive–problemacrossCanada.“Evenafewspoonfulsofpeanutbutterleftinajarcancontaminateatonneofpaperandmakeitunmarketable,destinedforthedump,”theCBCreportedearlierthisyear.“Sameforthatglobofyogurtleftinthebottomofthecontainer.”

Onesourcetoldthebroadcasterthatalmostathirdofmaterialsplacedinbluerecyclingcontainers“shouldn’t

bethere…Thingslikebloodbags.ThingslikeIVtubing.Thingslikeneedlesandsharps.Thingslikedeadanimals.Thingslikebullets.”AccordingtotheCBCreport,municipalcontaminationratesrangefrom3%inSt.John’sto26%inToronto.TheCityofVancouver’srecyclingcontaminationratechecksinatarelativelymodest4.6%.44

Alloftheseexamplespointtoasingle,soberingconclusion:Asasociety,weneedtoavoidwaste-producingmaterials.Thatmeansreducingtheirproduction,purchaseandconsumption.

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Illegal dumping on the riseProper waste management procedures – disposal and diversion – are strictly regulated and follow professional standards. Unfortunately, some people turn to an alternative form of waste removal that is highly undesirable yet increasingly common.

Illegal dumping is on the rise. In the City of Vancouver alone, the amount of abandoned trash that city workers were forced to collect from streets, alleyways and parks increased 40% between 2009 and 2016, to 2,465 tonnes. It now consumes 13% of the city’s annual street cleaning budget, according to one recent report.45

Commonly dumped materials include mattresses and furniture, large kitchen appliances and electronic goods. Transgressors make all kinds of excuses for abandoning their unwanted stuff: They could not get to a municipal landfill transfer or recycling station; they could not afford any fees that might be involved; they were not aware that dumping is illegal.

There’s another, even more pernicious form of illegal dumping. Construction waste is being spread on land designated for agricultural use. It happens in Metro

Vancouver, Vancouver Island, the B.C. interior and elsewhere, usually in places experiencing rapid urban development.

In some cases, agricultural landowners reportedly accept payment for loads of construction waste – crushed concrete, drywall, rebar, etcetera – material that by law must be disposed of in regulated facilities. According to one recent report, a dump truck load of mixed construction waste and other matter can cost between $1,100 and $1,400 to dispose of legally. Some owners of properties protected from development by provincial Agricultural Land Reserve regulations will accept $200 per load of construction waste, despite the threat of fines that can reach as high as $10,000.46

Illegal dumping now consumes 13% of the City of Vancouver’s annual street cleaning budget.

North Vancouver’s Green Coast Rubbish helps people dispose – and divert – materials responsibly.

Credit: Hamid Attie

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Want not, waste not: Waste avoidance Achievingzerowastemaynotbepossible,butweshouldatleastaimforit.That’stheconclusionreachedinTheDoSomethingProject,ablogbyNewJerseywriterCatherineAgopcan.Herobservationsreflecttheuniversalityofthewasteproblemandshouldresonatewitheveryone,nomattertheirlocationorindividualexperience.

Wasteisa“completelyhuman”output,shepointsout,“basedonourownchronicconsumption.”Asforzerowaste,it’sreallyjust“awayofthinking.Thereisnorightorwrong,justtheintenttoreducewastethebestwaywecan,givenwhereweliveintheworldandtheresourcesavailabletous.”47

ThesentimentisechoedbytheRecyclingCouncilofBritishColumbia(RCBC),establishedin1974to“facilitatetheexchangeofideasandknowledgethatenableefficientsolutionstoeliminatewaste.”Zerowaste,itsays,isbothagoalandaphilosophy.“Theideaistoreduceconsumptionasmuchaspossiblebyusingdesign-for-environmentinallproductsandtheirpackaging,andtomakepackagingrecyclable.”48

AcrossB.C.,differentlevelsofgovernmenthavelaunchedzerowasteinitiatives,oftenwithlittlefanfareorpublicknowledge.MetroVancouverlaunchedaZeroWasteChallenge–withaninitial70%wastediversionratetarget–morethanadecadeago.TheRegionalDistrictofNanaimoadoptedazerowastegoalwaybackin2001.49

Lately,moreindividualsandbusinessesareacceptingthechallenge.ZerowasteshopshaveopenedrecentlyinMetroVancouverandonSaltSpringIsland.Farmersmarketsrepresentanotheropportunityforzerowasteshopping,withlocal,unpackagedproduceonoffer.50Andsomepeopleareacceptingthechallengetoreducetheirhouseholdwaste,withimpressiveresults.51

Recentpollingandopinionsurveyresultssuggestthatwestillhavemuchtolearn,letaloneacknowledge.Forexample,anAbacusDatapollinJune2018askedCanadiansaboutplasticgarbageinouroceansandwaterways.Fewerthan40%ofthosesurveyedsaidtheyprobablyorcertainlycontributetotheproblem.Ontheotherhand,alargemajorityagreedthatgovernmentsshould“encourageretailers,consumerproductscompaniesandrestaurantchainstomakechangesthatreducetheamountofplastic

thatendsupingarbage,”whileaslightlysmallermajorityagreedthatregulationsshoulddirectspecificchanges.52

Buthowmuchindividualeffortandmoneyarepeoplewillingtoexpendthemselves?

HereinB.C.,mostmunicipalitiesdirectlybillhomeowners,businessesandindustriesforregularwastecollection,diversionanddisposal,viautilitiesfeestackedontotheirpropertyandbusinesstaxes.IntheCityofVancouver,theannualcollectionratefortheaveragesingle-familyhomeis$294.53Materialsthatcannotbecollectedordonotqualifyfornormalservicemustbetransferredbyindividualpartiestowastetransferstations,wheretheywillbeacceptedandprocessedforanominalfee.

InVancouver,forexample,mattressesmaybedroppedoffatalocaltransferstation,atacostof$15perpiece.Thatseemsasmallpricetopay,giventheinconveniencethatanabandonedmattresscancauseneighboursandothers.Illegaldumpinghurtsfinancially,aswell:Offenderscanbeforcedtopaypenaltiesashighas$500,andmayfaceprosecution.54

Thereareincentives,aswell.In2018,Vancouveropenedanewrecyclingcentrethatacceptssomematerialsfreeofcharge.Theseincludeusedcookingoils,clothingandtextiles,foampackaging,largeandsmallappliancesandscrapmetal.Thefacilityhasprovensopopularthatitsdailyhoursofoperationhaveincreased.

Makingwastediversionmoreconvenienthelpsdirectdiscardedmaterialsfromthelandfill,but,asnotedearlier,diversionisnopanacea.Avoidance–mainlythroughlessconsumptionofunsustainablegoods–remainstheeasiest,mostcost-effectivewaytomanageandreduceourwasteproblem.That,andotherstrategiesnotedinthefollowingrecommendations,shouldbecarefullyconsideredandadoptedwherepossible.

Nanaimo adopted a zero waste goal way back in 2001.

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Recommendations Governments

• Introducemeasurestostandardizeandmakepublicallwastecollection,diversionanddisposaldata,requiringallreportingagenciestoupdatetheirdataonopensourceseveryyearandcollectandsharedatarelatedtomulti-residentialdwellings.

• Promotewastereductionstrategiesbyrecognizingandrewardingcommunitiesandprivateandpublicintereststhatreachtargetgoals.

• Incrementallyallocate30%ormoreofwastemanagementbudgetsintoeffortsthatreducewasteproduction.

• Formanindependentpublicboardofinquirytoexaminetheprosandconsofwasteincineration,andactonitsfindingsandrecommendations.

• Preventorganicsandrecyclablesfromlandinginwastedisposalstreamsbycreatingmoreopportunitiesfordiversion.Considerplacingandenforcingdisposallimitsonresidential,industrial,commercialandinstitutional(ICI)anddemolition,land-clearingandconstruction(DLC)sources.

Companies and organizations

• Establishwastereductionandpaper-freetargetsintheworkplace.Providenecessarywastediversionandavoidanceinfrastructure–i.e.:recyclingandcompostbins,packaging-freesnacks,digitalalternatives–insidetheworkplace.Trackandshareresultswithemployees.

• Usereusabledishwareandotherproductsatevents.Donotoffersingle-use,disposableorplasticpromotionalproductsandgiftstocustomersandemployees.

• Providespaceintheworkplaceforswappingitemssuchasbooks,clothing,sportingequipmentandelectronics.

• Offercustomersthesamewastereductionopportunities,andprovidethemservicesandproductsthatdonotcreatewaste.

• Establishprogramsthatencourageandenablecustomerstorecycleusedorunwantedproducts,suchastake-backprogramsofferedbysomefashionindustryplayers.

Financial institutions

• Supportthegrowthofgreenbusinessesandpracticessuchasclosed-looprecycling,withpreferredrateloansandaccounts.

• Investinprojectsthatsupportthecirculareconomy,includinglocalfix-it,resaleandlendinginitiatives.

• Direct“rewards”productsawayfrommerchandiseandtowardexperiencesthatalignwithsustainableliving.

• Fundenvironmentalinitiativesthatspecificallyincludewastereductionefforts.

Individuals

• Considerhowyoumightembrace“LighterLiving”tofostermoresustainablecommunitiesbyconsumingless,wastingless,andsharingmore.

• Takeazerowastechallengeandtrackyourresults.Donotbediscouragedifyouandyourfamilydonotreachzerowaste;thegoalistorethink,reduce,reuseandrecycle.

• Lookforsustainablematerialsforhomeimprovementprojects,suchasbambooandcork,andreclaimedwoodandmetal.

• Joinalocaltoolandequipmentlendinglibraryanddonateitemsyoudon’toftenuse.

• Avoidbuyingandacceptingsingle-useproductsandcontainers.Buylocalwheneverpossible,andinbulk.

• Treatleftoverfoodasyournextmeal,notaswaste.

• Jointheslowfashionmovementbypurchasingclothesthatwillbewornoften.

• Visitresaleshops,neighbourhoodswapsandonlinenetworksforclothingandhouseholditemssuchasfurnitureandappliances.

• Compostathome.Manymunicipalitiesandenvironmentalorganizationsoffercompostingkitsforuseinhousesandapartments.

• Developabetterunderstandingofwheremunicipalsolidwastegoes.Visityourlocallandfillandwastediversioncentre.Manymunicipalitiesofferthepublicfreeguidedtours.

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References1. TheWorldBank,“WhataWaste:AGlobalReviewofSolidWasteManagement,”2016 http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTURBANDEVELOPMENT/0,,contentMDK:23172887

~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:337178,00.html

2. CBCNews,“Canadiansproducemoregarbagethananyoneelse,”January17,2013 https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/canadians-produce-more-garbage-than-anyone-else-1.1394020

3. Nationalandprovincialwastegenerationdataarecalculatedbyaddingtotalannualwastedisposed(garbage)andtotalbi-annualwastediverted(recyclablesandcompost)figuresexpressedbyStatisticsCanada.WastedisposalfiguresarefoundinStatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0032-01www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3810003201WastediversionfiguresarefoundinStatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0033-01https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=3810003301

4. UnitedNationsEnvironmentProgrammeandOneEarth,“SustainableLifestyles:OptionsandOpportunities,October2018

5. StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0032-01

6. MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017www.metrovancouver.org/services/solid-waste/SolidWastePublications/2017ISWRMP5yearBiennialReport.pdf

7. LeanPathFoodWastePrevention,“Caution:FoodWasteDiversionStrategiesAloneMayEncourageComplacency,”October22,2014https://www.leanpath.com/diversion-strategies-complacency/

8. CityofVancouver,“AdministrativeReport,”November21,2017https://council.vancouver.ca/20171206/documents/spec1e.pdf

9. MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017

10. StatisticsCanada,Table38-10-0036-01

11. CityofVancouver,“PolicyReport,”April20,2018https://council.vancouver.ca/20180516/documents/pspc2a.pdf

12. CityofVancouver,“PolicyReport,”April20,2018

13. CityofVancouver,“GreenestCity2020ActionPlan2017-2018ImplementationUpdatehttps://vancouver.ca/files/cov/greenest-city-action-plan-implementation-update-2017-2018.pdf

14. BritishColumbiaMinistryofEnvironment,“AGuidetoSolidWasteManagementPlanning,”September2016https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/garbage/swmp.pdf

15. MetroVancouver,“AboutMetroVancouver’sWaste-to-EnergyFacility,”http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/solid-waste/garbage-recycling/waste-to-energy-facility/about/Pages/default.aspx

16. StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0032-01

MethodologyPrimaryandsecondarydatawereusedinthisstudy.DatasourcesincludeStatisticsCanada,theGovernmentofBritishColumbia,regionaldistrictsandmunicipalgovernments.Interviewswithregionaldistrictsandmunicipalagencies

associatedwithwastehandlingwerealsoconducted,whileemailcorrespondencewasexchangedwithothers.Insomecases(ie:disposedwastekgs/singlefamilyresidence),dataweregatheredfromindividualregionaland/ormunicipalsourceswithcommonmetricsappliedforaunifiedbasisofcomparison.

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17. EnvironmentalReportingBC,“MunicipalSolidWasteDisposalinB.C.(1990-2013),”November2015https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/research-monitoring-and-reporting/reporting/envreportbc/archived/indicators/sustainability/envreportbc_municipal_solid_waste_nov2015.pdf

18. BritishColumbiaDataCataloguehttps://catalogue.data.gov.bc.ca/dataset/d21ed158-0ac7-4afd-a03b-ce22df0096bc

19. EnvironmentalReportingBC,“MunicipalSolidWasteDisposalinB.C.(1990-2016),”UpdatedMay2018http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/soe/indicators/sustainability/municipal-solid-waste.html

20.MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017

21. Singlefamilyresidencessuchasdetachedhousesincludemulti-unitrentalaccommodations.Theirinclusionindatagatheringcaninfluencedisposalanddiversionmetrics.SeeTheGlobeandMail,“InVancouver,a‘singlefamily’houseoftenisn’t,”February1,2018https://www.theglobeandmail.com/real-estate/vancouver/in-vancouver-a-single-family-house-often-isnt/article37802086/

22.CityofVancouver,“VancouverLandfill2017AnnualReport”https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/vancouver-%20landfill-annual-report-final-2017.pdf

23.CityofVancouver,“VancouverLandfill2017AnnualReport,”March2018https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/vancouver-%20landfill-annual-report-final-2017.pdf

24.ProvinceofBritishColumbia,OrderinCouncilNo.903,December8,2008https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/waste-management/garbage/landfillgasmanreg.pdf

25.FoodandAgriculturalOrganizationoftheUnitedNations,“SaveFood:GlobalInitiativeonFoodLossandWasteReduction,”2018www.fao.org/save-food/resources/keyfindings/en/

26.ValueChainManagementCentre,“TheCostofCanada’sAnnualFoodWaste,”December10,2014https://vcm-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Food-Waste-in-Canada-27-Billion-Revisited-Dec-10-2014.pdf

27. FinancialPost,“Canadawastes873poundsoffoodperpersonayear,”April4,2018https://business.financialpost.com/commodities/agriculture/report-finds-canadians-waste-a-lot-of food-calls-for-action-2

28.CommonGround,“MetroVancouvertacklesfoodwaste,”November2015https://commonground.ca/metro-vancouver-tackles-food-waste/

29.MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017

30.NationalZeroWasteCouncil,“AFoodLossandWasteStrategyforCanada,”May2018www.nzwc.ca/focus/food/national-food-waste-strategy/Documents/NZWC- FoodLossWasteStrategy.pdf

31. KarenStorryandAndreaMcKenzie,“UnravellingtheProblemofApparelWasteintheGreaterVancouverArea,”March2018www.researchgate.net/publication/323525011_Unravelling_the_Problem_of_Apparel_Waste_in_the_Greater_Vancouver_Area

32. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/donated-clothing-where-it-ends-up-1.4662023

33.KarenStorryandAndreaMcKenzie,“UnravellingtheProblemofApparelWasteintheGreaterVancouverArea,”March2018

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34.KarenStorryandAndreaMcKenzie,“UnravellingtheProblemofApparelWasteintheGreaterVancouverArea,”March2018

35.EmterraGroup,“BenefitsofComposting”http://www.emterra.ca/composting-benefits

36.CityofVancouver,“PolicyReport,”April20,2018

37. MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017

38.InterviewswithCityofVancouverandMetroVancouverwastemanagementsources,June2018andJuly2018.

39.Diversionratescollectedfromindividualmunicipalitywebsites

40.Diversionratesarefortheyear2017andaresuppliedbyindividualmunicipalitywebsitesorviaemailcorrespondencewithVancityresearchers.

41. StatisticsCanadaTable38-10-0033-01

42.CBCNews,“ConstructionwasteputsMetroVancouverrecyclingfacilitiesatcapacity,”July13,2016https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/construction-demolition-waste-overflow-recycling-facilities-1.3678389

43.MetroVancouver,“Biennial/5YearProgressReport,”November2017

44.CBCNews,“ManyCanadiansarerecyclingwrong,andit’scostingusmillions,”April6,2018https://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/recycling-contamination-1.4606893

45.CBCNews,“IllegaldumpinginVancouvergrowsby40%,”March17,2016https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/illegal-dumping-vancouver-1.3484307

46.CBCNews,“TrashCrop:HowillegaldumpingisruiningB.C.farmland,”May12,2018https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/alc-alr-farmland-dumping-illegal-fill-1.4654479

47. TheDoSomethingProject,“WhyZeroWasteisnotPossible,andWhyWeStillHavetoDoit,”May11,2017http://www.thedosomethingproject.com/home/why-zero-waste-is-not-possible

48.RecyclingCouncilofBritishColumbia,“WhatisZeroWaste?”https://www.rcbc.ca/resources/zero-waste

49.RecyclingCouncilofBritishColumbia,“WhatisZeroWaste?”

50.CBCNews,“Vancouver’sfirstzero-wastegrocerystoryopenforbusiness,”November25,2017https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/zero-waste-grocery-1.4414954

51. VancouverSun,“Zero-wastemovementgoesmainstreaminVancouver,”February10,2018https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/zero-waste-feature

52.AbacusDate,“NewPoll:Canadianssayplasticsinoceansaproblemandmoreactionneeded,”June5,2018http://abacusdata.ca/new-poll-canadians-say-plastics-in-oceans-a-problem-and-more-action-needed/

53.CityofVancouver,“2018budgetandfive-yearfinancialplan,”December13,2017https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/vancouver-2018-budget.pdf

54.CityofVancouver,“IllegaldumpingonCityproperty,”https://vancouver.ca/home-property-development/abandoned-garbage-and-illegal-dumping.aspx