City Councillors demand independent audit after Star finds major flaws in recycling program.

Moira Walsh
Toronto Star
July 05, 2009

Toronto Star

City Councillors say Mayor David Miller must hire an external auditor to conduct a sweeping review of the $15 million green bin program after a Star investigation exposed serious flaws in the system.

There are major problems within the program, including unfinished organics dumped in a gravel pit and food waste put in a landfill in Quebec or stockpiled in city transfer stations.

Toronto's two largest compost processors have faced severe environment ministry restrictions, due to
odour problems. And tests on city compost found that some is unfinished material that is toxic to many plants, the Star found.

The green bin program, and its perception of overwhelming success, was helping Miller get closer to his campaign promise of 70 per cent waste diversion from landfill by 2010. The program is expanding to include large apartments and condominiums.

Franz Hartmann, executive director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, said the city needs to stop using plastic bags and asking residents to put contaminants such as diapers in their green bins. Even though the ministry regulates the process, the city should track the compost value.

He was "alarmed" to learn that some of the leftover plastics from Toronto's organics were sent to a Detroit incinerator by Toronto's largest composter, Orgaworld, in London. Miller has been a long-time opponent of incineration.

Originally Published: Fix green bin mess, mayor told