Toward a Zero Waste Future:
Review of Ontario's Waste Diversion Act, 2002

The Ministry of the Environment is accepting public input regarding the review of the provincial Waste Diversion Act, 2002 (WDA). These comments will help determine policy direction for the Ministry relating to the review of the Waste Diversion Act, strategic waste management directions, and Ontario's zero waste vision.

Follow the link below to read the discussion paper and then provide your comments to the Minister of the Environment to help shape the future of waste management in Ontario.

To facilitate a review of the WDA the Minister released a discussion paper entitled: Toward a Zero Waste Future: Review of Ontario's Waste Diversion Act, 2002 - Discussion Paper for Public Consultation.

The document proposes two key principles as being central to Ontario's future waste management system:

Zero Waste philosophy means taking a cradle-to-cradle approach to managing waste where "industry has to redesign products and processes to reduce waste before it is made, as well as designing products for greater reuse."

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a framework to work towards the goal of zero waste. EPR means that product manufacturers are responsible for the full life cycle costs associated with their products including the environmental costs of production and managing the product at the end of its life, whether that be for reuse, for recycling, or safe disposal.

In 2002, the Ontario government passed the Waste Diversion Act, 2002. The WDA is Ontario's main legislation to "promote the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste for the development, implementation and operation of waste diversion programs." To date, three program plans have been approved by the Minister, the Blue Box Program Plan (BBPP), Municipal Hazardous & Special Waste (MHSW) and Waste Electronics & Electrical Equipment (WEEE) plans. A draft plan has been developed for Tires, but has not yet been approved.

London Municipal Council has submitted the following documents as part of the review of the WDA and BBPP Review:

1.    Comments on TOWARD A ZERO WASTE FUTURE: REVIEW OF - ONTARIO'S WASTE DIVERSION ACT, 2002
        January 12, 2009
2.    Comments on TOWARD A ZERO WASTE FUTURE: REVIEW OF ONTARIO'S WASTE DIVERSION ACT, 2002
        February 9, 2009
3.    ADDITIONAL SUBMISSION TO WASTE DIVERSION ONTARIO - POTENTIAL IMPACTS OF IMPLEMENTING EXTENDED
        PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY IN THE BLUE BOX PROGRAM PLAN
        February 23, 2009