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Group campaigns for parties to reduce waste

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In Waste
Sep 17th, 2011
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ZWS wants deposit/return program for bottles restored
Zero Waste Simcoe release September 13 2011
NORTH SIMCOE – A provincial election campaign has given a local environmental group an opening to press for further waste reduction.
Zero Waste Simcoe issued a media release last week urging the next provincial government – no matter which party wins the Oct. 6 election – to restore the deposit/return program for beverage containers.
“Ontario’s taxpayers are looking for relief from paying the bill for industry’s products and packaging,” said the release, which noted 50 per cent of blue-box costs are paid for by the taxpayer. “While the blue box offers part of the waste solution by recycling resources, a much better and less expensive solution is available – a return to deposit/return.”
Zero Waste Simcoe, a grassroots organization that began in 2008 to help Simcoe County reduce the amount of trash that ends up in landfills, said the financial incentive of a deposit/return system is just the ticket to ensure people return containers to the appropriate location instead of tossing them in the garbage.
“Exceeding a 95 per cent return rate, the Beer Store has demonstrated that deposit/returns are an effective means of collecting materials for reuse or recycling,” said the group.
Zero Waste Simcoe went on to note in its press release that such a system has benefits that go beyond extending the life of local landfills.
These include reduced litter, improved quality and quantity of wasted materials, and making waste producers financially responsible for collection and reuse, said the organization: “It is time for the province to make these benefits a reality in Ontario.”
Zero Waste Simcoe has sponsored a petition to the Ontario legislature asking for deposit/return programs on all beverage containers.
Simcoe County residents can add their names to the petition online by clicking here, or in person at Zero Waste Simcoe’s public meeting on Sept. 20 in Wasaga Beach.
The local environmental group reached out to the four main political parties in August with four questions about waste reduction. Only the Green Party responded. 

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