How Likely is it that the City of Toronto will ever reach Zero Waste – we say, very likely!
To many people the idea of a zero-waste city likely sounds like something out of a science fiction novel. Even with the countless advances of modern society, countless tons of waste end up in landfills every year. These landfills are rapidly filling up. This will surely pose some major problems for future generations. The move towards living in a way that doesn’t produce waste is becoming more and more of a necessity. Through the implementation of more carefully planned recycling, reduction, and reuse programs, this dream might someday be a reality for Toronto.
Zero-waste might not be the best way to describe the environmental management goals of Toronto currently. Even with perfect management of every waste stream out of the city, there will still be some wastes that simply can’t serve any purpose. They will have to be sequestered somewhere, much like a traditional landfill. The good news is that these wastes make up only the smallest fraction of the waste going to a landfill. The overwhelming majority can be handled in a different way. Eventually, with the work we put in today, these wastes will be kept out of landfills completely someday soon.
One method used today is the landfill gas energy plant. This still makes use of landfills, but in a more environmentally responsible manner. The transition to a zero-waste city will involve many transitional methods and technologies. Landfills produce methane, a dangerous greenhouse gas that has greater effect than carbon-dioxide. A landfill gas energy plant collects this gas and burns it to produce electricity. This has the added benefit of reducing demand for fuel oils and coal. While it may not be the ideal solution, this type of implementation today shows a brighter future.
Proper planning during production is another factor that will be critical in the transition to a zero-waste city. So much of the material in landfills today is there because nobody took the time to consider where it would end up when they made it. Packaging is one of the biggest offenders in this category. Excessive packaging is a problem with its roots in the design and production phase, not he disposal phase. If landfills are ever to become a thing of the past, companies must embrace a philosophy of zero-waste at every level of their operations.
Recycling is another important part of any zero-waste city. Reduction is great, but simply reducing away everything isn’t a viable solution. The primary problem facing recycling today is the sorting of materials. This is why most items that are recycled are metals and plastics. These materials are relatively easy to sort. In the future more, complex sorting and separation will be possible. A fully automated sorting system could greatly increase the potential of recycling. More complex separation techniques will also be developed. This could retrieve useful material from anything.
The transition towards a zero-waste city is sure to be a long and arduous journey. It seems unlikely that anyone here today would live to see the full realization of the idea. This might seem discouraging, but it really isn’t. Every move towards this goal is an improvement to the city. If that goal isn’t ever actually reached, this isn’t all that important. The strides towards it will surely be of great value to society and the City of Toronto. Improvements can be made anywhere and can be big or small.
Help us move towards a zero waste city here in Toronto and contact Core Mini Bins any time you need waste management, recycling, dumpster rentals, or assistance in minimizing your landfill waste.
