Once again, industry is…

Once again, industry is demanding more time to develop solutions to waste from its products and packaging, like tires, plastics, hazardous materials and more.

There’s been a waste crisis for over 50 years! Industry has had no incentive to address systemic failures because taxpayers have always paid to “manage” waste. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulations, introduced in 2023, were expected to change that, and a 3-year transition period was given to allow industry more time to develop solutions.

So far, industry has only accepted costs to collect municipal recycling; making use of established municipal programs, that taxpayers paid for. And instead of continuing to collect recyclables from established programs at Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) locations, the Ontario government allowed industry to cancel these programs.

As for tires, consumers still pay an “eco fee”, even when tires may later be dumped in a ditch, or incinerated instead of refurbished or recycled, and when corruption investigations about misused fees is an ongoing concern.

Industry is able to develop effective, sustainable solutions. It is well documented that Deposit-Return Systems (DRS) are successful for many products/packaging. The financial return is a good incentive to deliver items back to appropriate locations, creating jobs and cleaner resources, with higher deposits resulting in higher diversion rates.

Yet, industry has little desire to change its production/disposal model. Especially when the current government has promised almost $3Million of public funds toward a proposed mega-incinerator in Brampton, where collected materials could be incinerated, rather than reusing or recycling those resources.

This proposed incinerator would be one of the largest in North America, located in an already overburdened industrial area; creating higher pollution levels in Brampton and neighbouring communities.

Incinerating tires, plastics and other hazardous materials contaminates the air, land and water. Toxic pollution increases health and environmental costs to taxpayers. Our government needs to enforce rules that protect resources, jobs and health, not use public money for harmful, unsustainable programs.

It is positive to read the proposed amendment to remove the $1 Million cap – Administrative Penalties (AP) Regulation. This would give the province the ability to recover true costs for enforcement and remediation. Yet, in seeking feedback to this amendment, the ministry asks, “If stakeholders do not agree with removing the AP cap, are there any alternative recommendations that could encourage compliance?”

Please don’t wait for industry stakeholders to agree with removing the AP cap. Just do it! Another recommendation to encourage compliance is to incarcerate CEO’s! Without government direction and follow-through with enforcement, industry will continue to stall sustainable waste solutions.

Rather than capitulate to industry demands, our government must ensure that industry moves quickly, without further delays, to adopt reduction strategies and expedite effective and sustainable waste solutions, with high reuse/recycling rates. Strict government enforcement will protect resources, our economy, public health, and the environment.