The government is implementing changes to programs and policies under the Waste Diversion Act, 2002 to ensure that:
-waste diversion targets are met
-the interests of consumers are protected
-businesses have clear, consistent guidelines for diverting the maximum amount of waste
-municipalities are not burdened with additional costs
-retailers understand their role and take responsibility
for fair and accurate pricing.
As a first step, the government has released a new
regulation that will ensure producers pay the actual cost of waste
disposal instead of a projected cost, which is currently the case.
This would change the payment system from one based on
per-unit of packaged material to a lump-sum system. This is an
industry-funded solution that puts waste diversion on a more sound
financial footing.
The government is also directing Waste Diversion Ontario to
undertake a detailed review of Stewardship Ontario's budgets
and expenditures.
“This is a very important first step for the government in
fixing the problems of a badly flawed piece of legislation,” says
Rob Cook, CEO of the Ontario Waste Management Association. “We
remain very optimistic that [Environment] Minister [Jim] Bradley,
who led the charge to increase diversion in the 1980s, will set
Ontario back on the right path to drive diversion; support green
jobs and investment; and ensure the efficiency and effectiveness in
these programs.”
Bron: SWR magazine – eNews letter February 2012
Opgesteld door: Karim Tejani, CG Toronto (karim.tejani@minbuza.nl).
