'Tis the season etc.--goodwill to all environment ministers

by Jay Arthur

So, how do you like it so far?
Quite a lot, I am bound say--and I am not given to liking anything too much.
Barely two months after being sworn in as Ontario's environment minister (and having read, no doubt, my "briefing notes for the new minister"--PPS Review November 2003), Leona Dombrowsky has done what none of the seven ministers under the Tory dynasty could do. She has brought good news to municipalities.
And she did it in a way that leaves the door open to bring good news to the environmental community.
Whether she can appease the critics opposed to the whole Waste Diversion Act concept remains to be seen, of course. But let us give credit where it is due.
The new minister is very fortunate to have as advisors some very sharp cookies--not only folks who know understand the realities of local government in 2004, but also those whose outlook is rather less narrow and compromised than some of the previous backroom persons.
As a result, we have the December 22 announcement that the blue box will finally get its 50-cent dollars (more or less). 
Look carefully in that hastily put-together and not-exactly-overflowing-in-detail government news release. There are a couple of interesting items.
Firstly we have what we might term the 60% Challenge.
The minister asked the Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) board to come up with a plan to increase the recovery of recyclables by one third (45% to 60%), and she has said she wants it in three months.
The tallness of this order would be approximately parallel to the Empire State Building.
The authors of the Blue Box Program Plan only bothered doing cost estimates for recovery rates of 45 and 50% because they don't think any more is feasible under the current system. They have said as much at brand owner meetings.
If the promoters of the existing blue box system had an ace up their sleeve for such a dramatic increase in recyclables recovery, one assumes they would have played it earlier.

In the next few weeks, then, the WDO directors would be well advised to step back and take a second look at the hybrid concept. For if they fail to meet the 60 % Challenge, Ms Dombrowksy will have to conclude they and the current arrangements are not up to the job and cannot meet the waste diversion mandate which gives the legislation its name.
With the funding regime in place, however, and providing some relief for local recycling programs, she can then take the time to develop her own plan to divert Ontario's waste from landfill.
Last time, I suggested Ms Dombrowsky look to British Columbia. Perhaps the WDO board will do the same. Perhaps, they will acknowledge that some kind of return system for containers might just be the ticket.
There has been a lot of pressure recently to have wine and liquor containers returnable for deposit and a similar system for soft drinks works well in most other places. 
If you can get most of the bad news glass and a good chunk of the expensive plastic containers out of the blue box, the costs will go down and the recovery numbers will improve significantly.
The WDO folks know this but they don't want to admit it. Well, it's time to admit it. You've had a good run. Now it's time to pay the piper.
The final line of the minister's December 22 announcement presents another challenge--this time, for her.
Banning organic waste from disposal at landfills was what propelled Nova Scotia beyond the 50% diversion target and such a move would, in theory, do the same for Ontario. Or, at least, it would have done if so much material were not being driven down the 401 to Michigan.
Assuming the Province can find a way legislatively to apply such a ban in what is generally considered municipal territory, it would need to make it equally applicable to transfer stations.
Support for organics collection programs would be important, too, and the Waste Diversion Act allows for that. But where is the money coming from? Who are the stewards?
This one won't be so easy but at least Ms Dombrowsky has bought herself some time to get it right.