Did you know it's Waste Reduction Week?
Wednesday, October 17, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
NEWS RELEASE
GOVERNMENT
OF ONTARIO
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Ontario celebrates Waste Reduction Week
McGuinty government recognizes efforts of Ontarians to reduce, reuse, recycle
Ontarians are doing their part to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.
We are keeping more than three million tonnes of waste out of landfills and waterways every year - enough to fill more than five Rogers Centres.
Ontario is taking action and seeing results, including:
- Diverting more than 900,000 tonnes of waste through municipal Blue Box programs. The residential recovery rate has gone from 53 per cent in 2003 to 64 per cent in 2011.
- Properly disposing of or recycling more than 26,000 tonnes of household hazardous waste like batteries and paints, protecting our environment from pollution.
- Diverting nearly 150,000 tonnes of used tires from disposal, achieving an overall diversion rate of 93 percent in 2011.
Businesses such as Campbell Company of Canada are also making a difference.
By reducing the amount of packaging materials used in its manufacturing plant, the company has saved 1,084 tonnes of steel, 13.5 tonnes of plastic and 2,000 trees a year.
Diverting and reducing waste is part of the McGuinty government's plan to create a strong, green economy for future generations.
Quotes
"Waste Reduction Week is an opportune time to take stock of our successes - and to move forward and to divert even more waste. It’s also a time to recognize outstanding initiatives like Campbell Canada’s campaign to reduce the packaging it sends into the marketplace." - Jim Bradley, minister of the environment
"Campbell Canada commitment to sustainability goes beyond packaging reduction, to include reductions in water use, energy conservation, waste minimization as well as sustainable agriculture. Globally, in 2011 Campbell saved more than 4.5 million pounds in steel, plastic and paper packaging materials, eliminated nearly 29,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions at its manufacturing operations and reduced greenhouse gas emissions per unit of food produced by more than four percent." - Peter Stevens, vice-president, Supply Chain, Campbell Canada
Quick facts
This year, Waste Reduction Week runs from Oct. 15 to Oct. 21.
Ontarians generate about one tonne of waste per year, per person.
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