Things we can do instead of building incinerators/gasifiers

• Home
• What is Metro Vancouver Proposing?
• Politicians out of touch with public
• 7 Good reasons we should not build incinerators/gasifiers
• The Plasco Fiasco
• A different Planning Paradigm: prevention
• Things we can do instead of building incinerators/gasifiers
• Are you a concerned citizen?
• Who is Zero Waste Vancouver

Dear Mayor and Council Candidates

You can win our confidence and deliver better results for our communities if you put your support behind preventative programs rather than tying up public funds in expensive, risky incinerators.

Here are some election promises that would earn you points for leadership in waste reduction.

1. I promise I will say NO to incineration/gasification

We have opportunities to develop programs that will reduce our waste continuously over time until we reach Zero Waste, or darned close.

The only thing that stands in the way of such opportunities is infrastructure that “locks in” waste. Metro Vancouver’s proposal to build one million tonnes of new incineration capacity in this region is just such an obstacle.

Instead of building incinerators, let’s get the community behind an ambitious goal to reduce our waste: 90% less by 2035. (On average, that’s only 4% less waste each year!)

2. I promise I will start getting organics out of landfills NOW

The #1 way to reduce our waste and its immediate climate impacts is to compost food scraps and other biodegradable organic materials.

Because of the urgency of climate change, we need a massive mobilization to divert organics from landfills. We need to engage the public in this challenge the way citizens were mobilized to plant Victory Gardens and recycle during wartime.

Metro Vancouver’s plan for organics diversion is completely inadequate. Money has been budgeted to build a composting plant – but that’s all.

The plan has no provisions to help municipalities get the public on board. No provisions to help them develop collection systems that work. No provisions to explore different scales of technology that might be suited to different purposes: large centralized composting plants, smaller on-site systems, neighbourhood-scale systems, etc.

Municipal food waste composting is a new challenge for your staff and for households and businesses in your community. It will take a serious commitment to make it work, but it will pay big returns in civic pride and environmental benefits.

• Set us a goal. Zero organics to landfill by 2020
• Give speeches. your leadership will set the tone for the community
• Back it up with specific programs. Assign staff and resources to implement a really good communications campaign. Develop a team to do R&D. Create inter-departmental teams to work on implementation. Make visits to other communities with successful programs. Establish a Citizens’ Advisory Committee to provide public perspective.
• Urge Metro to shift resources from incineration to organics diversion. Metro should be providing coordination and support across the region so that we work together to develop efficient, effective, state-of-the-art programs. They could set up a coordinating body like StopWaste.org in Alameda County, California.

3. I promise I will help the shift to producer responsibility

We have the world’s most advanced EPR programs, and yet the public hardly knows about them. We need to make “Extended Producer Responsibility” a household word so people will know about this historic shift in waste policy.

We need YOU to direct your staff in all city departments to come up with ideas that will nurture vibrant EPR services in our communities, services that can successfully compete against taxpayer funded landfills and incinerators. Producers should make it as convenient to recycle or repair a worn-out product in our communities as it is to buy a new one.

We need YOU to use your powers of office to:

• Defend our interests. Local governments have been picking up after the Throw-Away Society long enough. Tell producers that those days are over and municipalities and taxpayers won’t put up with it any more!
• Use your clout. Because local elected officials threatened to ban or tax plastic bags, the retail industry in BC is starting a program to cut the use of throw-away bags in half in 5 years. (Now, go after coffee cups!)
• Recognize local retailers who are ready to help. More and more retailers are offering take-back services: Ikea, Home Depot, Revy, London Drugs, Tim Horton’s, Mountain Equipment Coop. Every product that goes back to the producer saves tax dollars and helps build customer loyalty, prosperous local businesses, and a green economy.
• Create opportunities for “Discard Malls.” Direct staff to use zoning and incentives to develop landmark commercial Resource Recovery Parks for clusters of businesses providing recycling/reuse/repair services.
• Create pilot programs. Direct staff to negotiate with local companies that sell carpeting, mattresses, clothing, lumber and other high-volume disposable products to provide take-back services for these products.

4. I promise I will set high performance standards for everyone

There are laggards in our communities who are not pulling their weight in waste reduction, either because they don’t know the rules or they don’t care.

5. Improve recycling in the workplace.

The commercial sector throws out over 60% of its waste because they don’t have the same high level of service provided by municipalities to single-family households. Multi-family residences throw out 75% of their waste. Have your staff bring together the waste haulers and their clients and find solutions. Several Vancouver Business Improvement Associations are going “dumpster free” to encourage recycling and reduce social problems in back alleys.

6. Enforce disposal bans.

Lots of people may not know that it is illegal to throw away newspaper, cardboard, office paper, bottles and cans, plastic containers, or any product covered by an EPR program. Commit resources to an intensive communications campaign and adequate policing.