2.4 Waste Diversion
43
46%
31%
16%
7%
Recovery of metals and metal compounds
Re-refining or re-use of used oil
Recovery of a recyclable material
Others
38%
34%
22%
4% 2%
Thermal methods such as incineration
Physical or chemical treatment
Landfilling in specially designed sites
Biological treatment
Interim operations, e.g., blending or mixing
Treatment of the hazardous recyclable waste
imported in 2016 in Canada (262,200 tonnes)
Treatment of the hazardous non-recyclable waste
imported in 2016 in Canada (117,800 tonnes)
Fig. 2.7 Treatment methods for the hazardous waste imported in 2016 in Canada. Reprinted with
permission from Environment and Climate Change Canada [29]
2.4 Waste Diversion
The landfilling and incineration of solid waste can lead to negative environmental
impacts such as air emissions, water pollution or land disturbance. Waste diversion by
recycling and composting provides an alternative source of materials to the extraction
and production of virgin resources, and helps to reduce the negative impact of solid
waste on the environment. Glass, metal, plastic or paper materials can be recycled and
used as raw material substitutes or in making new products. Composting is breaking
down the organic materials such as food scraps, yard waste, agricultural crop residues,
paper products, sewage sludge and wood by microorganisms into simpler substances
and using them as fertilizers for landscaping, gardening or other purposes [4]. As
already mentioned previously, waste diversion had an increasing trend since 2002.
For instance, waste diversion reached 9.3 million tonnes of mainly paper and organic
materials in 2016, which represents an increase of 39% between 2002 and 2016, as
shown in Fig. 2.8 [10], [11].
In Ontario, various waste diversion programs have been developed, including
[30]:
– Municipally operated recycling activities such as Blue Box printed paper and
packaging, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Municipal
Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW), Other recyclables (e.g., scrap metal) and
used tires;
– Municipal organic processing activities (e.g., kitchen organics);
– A per capita allowance for provincial deposit systems based on beer, wine and
spirits containers returned from the residential sector;
43
46%
31%
16%
7%
Recovery of metals and metal compounds
Re-refining or re-use of used oil
Recovery of a recyclable material
Others
38%
34%
22%
4% 2%
Thermal methods such as incineration
Physical or chemical treatment
Landfilling in specially designed sites
Biological treatment
Interim operations, e.g., blending or mixing
Treatment of the hazardous recyclable waste
imported in 2016 in Canada (262,200 tonnes)
Treatment of the hazardous non-recyclable waste
imported in 2016 in Canada (117,800 tonnes)
Fig. 2.7 Treatment methods for the hazardous waste imported in 2016 in Canada. Reprinted with
permission from Environment and Climate Change Canada [29]
2.4 Waste Diversion
The landfilling and incineration of solid waste can lead to negative environmental
impacts such as air emissions, water pollution or land disturbance. Waste diversion by
recycling and composting provides an alternative source of materials to the extraction
and production of virgin resources, and helps to reduce the negative impact of solid
waste on the environment. Glass, metal, plastic or paper materials can be recycled and
used as raw material substitutes or in making new products. Composting is breaking
down the organic materials such as food scraps, yard waste, agricultural crop residues,
paper products, sewage sludge and wood by microorganisms into simpler substances
and using them as fertilizers for landscaping, gardening or other purposes [4]. As
already mentioned previously, waste diversion had an increasing trend since 2002.
For instance, waste diversion reached 9.3 million tonnes of mainly paper and organic
materials in 2016, which represents an increase of 39% between 2002 and 2016, as
shown in Fig. 2.8 [10], [11].
In Ontario, various waste diversion programs have been developed, including
[30]:
– Municipally operated recycling activities such as Blue Box printed paper and
packaging, Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), Municipal
Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW), Other recyclables (e.g., scrap metal) and
used tires;
– Municipal organic processing activities (e.g., kitchen organics);
– A per capita allowance for provincial deposit systems based on beer, wine and
spirits containers returned from the residential sector;