PPSR-editorials


	www.productstewardship.org


	Say it with SATIRE! Opinion Pieces from PPSR--April 2000

Taking a look at the WDO budget forecast


	By Jay Arthur There is a clause in the Memorandum of Understanding which led to the setting up of Ontario's new Waste Diversion Organization that calls for a full auditing of the books and records of the organization. Given the recent release of the Forecast for the Year 2000 for the WDO, there may be a few people looking forward to the Day of Reckoning. Perhaps it will explain a few things. Anyone who is not familiar with financial matters would no doubt note that the MOU anticipated that the "administrative costs of the Corporation" in its initial twelve months were "targeted" at $500,000. She would further note that the Forecast shows $460,731 allocated under administration, and nod accordingly. What will be made of the additional $879,601 set aside for "WDO process, executive and secretariat services", remains to be seen. There is, it should be pointed out, a difference between the "secretariat" services item and the "administrative" services. The secretariat items are applied to different parts of the budget, whereas the administration allocation is in a category by itself. At any rate, when combined with the "WDO process" and "executive services" the secretariat expenses account for almost twice the budget reserved for administration. These costs are allocated to the three program categories: optimization, household special waste and organic -- $175 out of every $1,000 allocated to these programs.


	The next line in the WDO forecast shows $591,312 set aside for "implementation support". This is not to be confused with "process, executive and secretariat services" (or "administration"), and accounts for a further $108 out of every $1,000 set aside for the three program categories. There has also been $50,000 set aside to look after the distribution of the LCBO funding. Moving down the budget sheet, we come to "ongoing CSR demonstration programs", to which have been allocated over one million dollars, which includes $835,973 for optimization, $101,875 under the HSW category, and $150,000 under "organics". These account for a further $217.57 out of every $1,000 set aside for the three program categories. Those municipalities who had already signed partnership agreements with CSR may reasonably congratulate themselves for their great foresight. It appears their projects will enjoy priority for the new WDO funding commitments from industry because of the research value they provide. And we should give credit to CSR for having had the foresight to begin $250,000 worth of non-blue box projects which will help the WDO process. What remains for new programs, to which there will be exhaustive criteria applied, is $2.3 million, or $476.10 for every $1,000 set aside. Whatever troubles may be plaguing Canadian National and VIA Rail, the gravy train appears to be right on schedule.


	Return to www.productstewardship.org main page


	More editorials