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County of Simcoe ranked fifth in waste diversion

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In Council Watch
Apr 26th, 2016
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News release from Simcoe County

The County of Simcoe continues to be among the very best in the province when it comes to diverting waste from landfills. The County received fifth place out of 237 municipalities in the just released annual Waste Diversion Ontario Datacall (Ontario’s standardized waste reporting and calculation process) with a 59 per cent diversion rate for 2014. This is the County’s highest diversion rate since recordings began in 2006 and moves the County up from seventh place with a 55.7 per cent rate in 2013.

“Our residents deserve credit for their continued participation in our diversion programs,” said Warden Gerry Marshall. “Having recently reaffirmed our diversion targets of 71 per cent by 2020 and 77 by 2030, we’re gunning for first in the province. To get there we must continue to advance our current programs and invest in local initiatives to manage our own waste and advance our environmental stewardship.”

Rob McCullough, Director of Solid Waste Management, says the results speak for themselves, but insists there is room for improvement. “We are provincial leaders in blue box participation and diversion, and we have extremely successful facility-based waste diversion programs,” said McCullough. “In fact, we are so successful in these areas that there is little room for improvement—our only real opportunity to divert more materials is to expand and grow the use of our green bin organics program.”

Data from a County waste audit indicates that Simcoe County residents are Ontario leaders in blue box capture rates at 87 per cent. The County has also seen great success at its waste drop-off facilities, where innovative programs for over 20 different materials, including asphalt shingles and window glass, have diverted more than 70 per cent of drop-off materials.

The County’s Solid Waste Management Strategy Update also recommends a number of proposed options to help increase the use of the organics green bin program and foster more environmentally responsible waste habits among residents. County Council has provided initial direction and staff will host two Public Consultation Sessions on the Strategy Update on May 3 and 17, 2016 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Simcoe County Museum, or via webinar at www.simcoe.ca/wastestrategy.

The Datacall report is based on 2014 data submitted to Waste Diversion Ontario last year. The full report can be viewed at
http://www.wdo.ca/news/News-Detail/ArtMID/494/ArticleID/155/2014-Residential-Waste-Diversion-Rates.

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