Right now, the Province of Ontario is seeking feedback on a proposal to ban organics from landfill. Together, we can shape the direction of waste policy in Ontario that will help us tackle organic waste, reduce our climate impacts and even create green jobs and green energy.
You can take action here and learn more below.
Why a ban on sending organics to the landfill?
Organics are the largest category of waste in our waste stream: half of residential waste is compostable food or organic waste and a large portion of waste from businesses could be composted, too. By keep organics out of the landfill, we’re stopping that organic material from releasing methane, a greenhouse gas X times more powerful than carbon dioxide.
Larger cities in Ontario - like Toronto - collect organics separately already, but a ban would require businesses to keep organics out of their garbage, too! When phased in properly, and in combination with other tools, a ban is an effective way to get organics out of our garbage.
What are other cities doing?
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Quebec has announced plans to ban organics disposal starting in 2022.
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Metro Vancouver announced a ban on organics disposal in 2013 and began enforcement in 2015. Waste companies are inspected at transfer stations, and are fined if they have too much organic waste; These companies then have an incentive to better educate their customers, provide better services, or inspect their customer’s waste before picking it up.
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The State of Massachusetts banned organics disposal in 2014. Since then, they’ve seen a 150% growth in green jobs because of this ban!
How can an organics ban help Toronto get to zero waste AND tackle climate change?
A ban on organics would be part of a larger strategy to reduce food waste, redistribute surplus food to feed people and animals, and ensure high value composting. Any ban would would be paired with requirements for businesses and municipalities to collect organic waste separately (e.g. use a green bin) and send it for composting.
When Metro Vancouver started enforcing their organics ban in 2015, waste companies were inspected at transfer stations and are fined if they had too much organic waste giving these companies an incentive to better educate their customers, provide better services, or inspect their customer’s waste before picking it up.