York Region Waste Diversion Strategy

The first waste management objective in the Regional Municipality of York’s 2005 Official Plan is the development of a Waste Diversion Strategy (WDS). The Official Plan states that a full range of waste management options, as well as, resource recovery options, landfill requirements, and educational and promotional techniques is to be addressed by the strategy. The goal is to meet the current provincial target of 60 per cent diversion from landfill by 2008: an almost doubling of the current rate of 33 per cent diversion. In conjunction with its nine local municipalities, the Regional Municipality of York will examine ways to maximize waste recycling and diversion in this study. Various waste diversion options will be identified and prioritized based on waste diversion potential, net environmental impact, and relative cost. The benefits of locating Community Environmental Centres throughout the region to increase the volume of recyclable and/or reusable materials diverted from landfill will be examined. Potential changes in provincial regulations, new technologies, community interests, infrastructure and economics, and appropriate implementation dates for the options considered will be taken into account. The Regional Municipality of York estimates that the WDS will result in a reduction of 82,209 tonnes of waste being shipped to landfill each year and reduced GHG emissions in relation to landfill and transportation.