Solid WASTE

Solid waste can create a significant pressure on the environment. For most materials thrown away, waste disposal sites are required and a replacement is produced using fresh raw materials and more energy. Additionally, open burning of waste material results in increased air pollution, water pollution and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions. Improper solid waste disposal also attracts wildlife, and often leads to increased wildlife mortality.

Waste reduction and diversion can reduce some of these negative impacts associated with solid waste on the environment.

There is little information on the amount of solid waste produced in the NWT(1). Information on some types of solid waste is now collected as part of new programs that aim at redirecting that waste to recycling processes. The indicator included in the focal point tracks one type of solid waste: beverage containers. Other indicators will be developed in future reports.

Information on waste generation, diversion and disposal in the NWT is limited, and sometimes conflicting, and is therefore insufficient to be used as a reliable indicator of trends for this focal point.  The operation of community landfills in the NWT varies widely from community to community with respect to the level of control the community has over waste entering the facility.  Landfills may or may not be staffed, and/or gated to regulate the entry of materials. 

In addition to being a staffed, gated facility, the City of Yellowknife’s landfill is only the community landfill in the NWT to use a scale to monitor the weight of most material entering the landfill.  Yellowknife, home to nearly half the NWT population, is a significant source of waste in the territory.  As such, available data can offer a snapshot of the state of waste in the largest NWT community.  Note that available information is not sufficient to draw conclusions regarding a territory-wide rate of waste disposal, and diversion based on Yellowknife data. 

Information on some types of solid waste is now collected as part of new programs that aim to reduce or divert materials from the waste stream.  The indicators included in this focal point track two types of solid waste:  beverage containers and single-use retail bags (SRBs).  Other indicators will be developed in future reports as more programs and initiatives are developed.  ENR has identified electronic waste as its next priority item, and will investigate the feasibility of addressing it at a territorial level.

Solid waste in Yellowknife – a snapshot

This snapshot aims to provide a broad stroke picture of the amount of waste disposed of and diverted from the Yellowknife landfill; note that numbers are approximate and have not been audited.  The Yellowknife Solid Waste Facility does not follow a regular schedule for shipping recyclable materials to southern recycling facilities.  Particularly with items such as scrap metal and tires, materials may be segregated at the landfill one year and be shipped for recycling the next.  The diversion rate provided in this section assumes that all such materials that entered the landfill were recycled within that same year.  It also assumes a 100% recycling rate of materials shipped south for recycling, or in other words, that there is no disposal of any portion of material once it is received by recycling facilities.  It also assumes that all yard waste will be composted or used for landscaping.

Disposal: According to City of Yellowknife data for 2010, approximately 27,000 tonnes of solid waste were landfilled by residential and industrial, commercial and institutional sources^[i]. This represents a per capita annual disposal rate of approximately 1.35 tonnes per capita.

Diversion:In 2010, in addition to beverage containers diverted from landfills (discussed further in indicator 9.1), the City of Yellowknife diverted approximately 12% (nearly 4000 tonnes) of the non-hazardous waste that entered the facility.^[i] 

In September 2009, the City of Yellowknife initiated a pilot project to explore the potential for a Centralized Compost Facility to divert organic materials, which are estimated to make up 26.1% of the waste stream, from the landfill.  Twenty local businesses and institutions separate their organic kitchen and yard waste, which is then combined with shredded paper and boxboard to make compost.  To date, the Centralized Compost Facility has diverted approximately 265 tonnes of organic waste and 75 tonnes of shredded boxboard and paper. 

As of June 10, 2010, the City expanded its residential recycling program to include plastic containers (numbers 2, 3, 5 and 7).  The City of Yellowknife currently diverts materials such as scrap metal, (including vehicles and white goods), paper products, steel/tin cans, vehicle batteries, mixed plastics and tires.  In 2011, the City will begin greater segregation and diversion of wood waste.

Steaming window (67 C) at the Yellowknife Centralized Compost Facility. Shannon Ripley, Ecology North.

Looking Ahead

As In October 2009, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) approved a Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility (CAP for EPR) and a Canada-wide Strategy for Sustainable Packaging. As part of the CAP for EPR, all jurisdictions committed to work toward the development of framework legislation and/or regulations that make producers responsible for the post-consumer stage of priority products and materials' life cycles. Priority products and materials are: packaging, printed materials, mercury-containing lamps and products, electronics and household electrical products, household hazardous and special wastes, automotive products, demolition materials, furniture, textiles and carpet, appliances, including ozone-depleting substances (ODS).

Given the unique circumstances of geography, population and infrastructure of the territories, the CAP for EPR recognizes that EPR may not be the appropriate instrument for all products or product categories, and that other strategies may be adopted to address waste. Under the CAP for EPR, the GNWT is committed to review its progress toward the development of frameworks for the specified materials, and determine if EPR will be pursued.

Find out more:

Visit the CCME website to learn more about EPR: http://www.ccme.ca/ourwork/waste.html?category_id=128.

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9.1 Trends in percentage of beverage containers that are returned for reuse and recycling

This indicator tracks the number of beverage containers sold in the NWT and the percentage returned for reuse and recycling.

The Beverage Container Program (BCP) was implemented in November 2005, and includes ready-to-serve beverage containers made of glass, plastics, aluminum, metals, waxed cardboard,and mixed materials that can be recycled or reused. This includesjuice, pop, bottled water, energy drinks, beer, wine, liquor and other alcoholic beverages. As of February 15, 2010, it also includes ready to serve liquid milk and milk substitute products.

Other programs contributed to beverage container recycling in the NWT prior to 2005. For example, the Liquor Commission ran a recycling program for beer containers in some communities. Municipal governments such as the City of Yellowknife recycled aluminum cans and plastic (HDPE) milk jugs. In other communities, such as Inuvik and Norman Wells, non-profit groups recycled aluminum cans. Businesses were set up to bale aluminum cans and sell them to southern recyclers. These programs were supplanted by the BCP in 2005. There was no reporting mechanism on the amounts recycled through these programs, so the indicator does not include this information.

NWT Focus

Each recycled item helps reduce waste and improve the state of the environment today and for future generations.

The Waste Reduction and Recovery Act (Act) (2003) made it possible for the GNWT to set up programs to reduce waste and to recover, reuse or recycle various materials in the NWT. The BCP was the first program implemented under the Act.

Every year, around 30 million ready-to-serve beverage containers are sold in the NWT. Prior to the implementation of the BCP in 2005, with the exception of some alcoholic beverage containers, most of the containers ended up in landfills or as litter. Under the BCP, a refundable deposit and a non-refundable handling fee is added to the price of each ready-to-serve beverage container distributed or sold in the NWT. The consumer can get the refundable deposit back by taking the empty beverage container to the nearest depot. The depot sorts the beverage containers and ships them to a designated regional processing centre. The processing centre processes the beverage containers and sells them to recycling markets.

Current view: status and trend

Over five and a half years of operation of the BCP, NWT residents have returned nearly 135 million containers for recycling. This represents a return rate of approximately 83% of all beverage containers sold. In 2010/2011, the BCP saw a return rate of 81%. Figure 9.2 shows the recovery rates of beverage containers since the program began. By reusing industry standard glass beer bottles and recycling aluminum and PET (#1 plastic) containers in the NWT, the BCP prevents an average of 2,876 tonnes of GHG emissions annually, equivalent to taking 564 vehicles off the road each year.

Note: FY10/11 numbers have not been audited.

Looking forward

ENR has commissioned a review of the BCP which will include recommendations on how to ensure the efficacy and sustainability of the program.

Looking around

An approximate return rate of 83% in the NWT is comparable to other deposit-refund programs for beverage containers across Canada.

Find out more

• For more information on the NWT’s Beverage Container Program, including financial statements and annual reports, please visit our website at: http://icarenwt.ca/beverage-container-program.
• For information on other beverage container programs across Canada, visit the following websites:
  • Yukon: http://www.ravenrecycling.org/
  • British Columbia: http://www.encorp.ca
  • Alberta: http://www.bcmb.ab.ca
  • Saskatchewan: http://www.sarcsarcan.ca
  • Ontario: http://www.wdo.ca/
  • Quebec: http://www.recyc-quebec.gouv.qc.ca
  • Newfoundland: http://www.mmsb.nf.ca/
  • New Brunswick: http://www.encorpatlanticinc.com
  • Nova Scotia: http://www.rrfb.com
  • Prince Edward Island: http://www.iwmc.pe.ca/

9.2  Trends in Single-use Retail Bag (SRB) distribution

This indicator tracks the number of single-use plastic, paper and biodegradable bags that are distributed to NWT retail stores. 

The littering of SRBs in and around communities is aesthetically unappealing and was identified as an issue of concern during ENR’s consultations with the public on the expansion of the Waste Reduction and Recovery Program (WRRP).  To mitigate this issue, ENR created the second program under the Act:  the Single-use Retail Bag Program (SRBP).

NWT Focus

On January 15, 2010, ENR implemented Phase I of the SRBP, requiring all grocery stores to charge customers a 25¢ surcharge for each SRB requested at the check-out counter.  On February 1, 2011, the SRBP was amended, requiring all retail stores to collect the SRB surcharge.  SRB distributors collect the surcharges upfront from retailers upon distribution of bags, and this money is remitted to the Environment Fund on a quarterly basis. 

Current view: status and trend

Based on information from Resource Conservation Manitoba, ENR estimated that prior to the implementation of the SRBP, residents used approximately 8.9 million SRBs (208 per person) per year, half of which likely originated from grocery stores[i].  Between January 15, 2010, and June 30, 2011, using information provided by retailers and distributors ENR estimated that NWT residents reduced their SRB use by 5.1 to 5.7 million bags.  Considering only grocers were required to comply with the SRBP for the majority of this period, this represents a 60% to 67% reduction in use relative to pre-program estimates[ii].  Seventy-one NWT businesses have ceased to provide SRBs altogether.  

Looking forward

With the recent inclusion of all stores under the SRBP, ENR anticipates there will be an even greater reduction in SRB use in the coming year.  

Looking around

The GNWT is the first provincial/territorial jurisdiction to regulate the distribution of single-use paper, plastic and biodegradable bags in Canada. 

• A number of municipal governments have introduced by-laws that prohibit or reduce the use of plastic bags through bag fees. 
• Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec have voluntary agreements with industry to reduce plastic bag use.  
• A 2010 guideline under Manitoba’s Packaging and Printed Paper Stewardship Regulations of the Waste Reduction and Prevention Act requires a 50% reduction in single-use plastic bag distribution by 2015. 

Find out more

http://icarenwt.ca/single-use-retail-bag-program

Updated: 3 February 2012

References

Ref 1 - Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2009). Canada-wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility. Winnipeg.

Ref 2 - City of Yellowknife. (2011, August 26). Geoware Waste Disposal Data 2010. Yellowknife, NT, Canada.

Ref 3 - MGM Management, NorthWays Consulting, and CM Consulting. (2011). Beverage Container Program Review (Draft Report).

Ref 4 - NOLAN-ITU Pty Ltd. (2005). Department of Environment and Heritage: Plastic Retail Carry Bag Use 2002-2004 Consumption. East Kew Victoria.

Ref 5 - Tchobanoglous, G., Theisen, H., & Vigil, S. (1983). Integrated Solid Waste Management: Engineering Principles and Management Issues. Irwin McGraw-Hill.

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