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What is Zero Waste?
Zero Waste is a framework for sustainability that seeks to redesign the way that resources and materials flow through society. Zero Waste maximizes recycling and waste reduction, and designs products to be reused, repaired or recycled. It is both an economic development and an environmental protection strategy that calls upon human ingenuity to push the limits of what is possible.
Zero Waste is a design principle that encompasses extended producer responsibility, eco-design, waste reduction, reuse and recycling, all within a single framework. It breaks away from the inflexibility of waste-based systems and offers a new policy framework capable of transforming current linear production and disposal processes into “smart” systems that utilize the resources in all (land, air and water) waste streams and generates jobs and wealth for local, regional and national economies.
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Zero Waste and the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary |
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The Board of Directors of the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary adopted Zero Waste as a goal and guiding philosophy in November, 2000. The RDKB was the first Regional District in BC to adopt a Zero Waste goal and it has now been followed by six others representing over 60% of the provincial population. In addition to the Regional Districts of Nanaimo, Cowichan Valley, Sunshine Coast, Greater Vancouver, Central Kootenay and Central Okanagan our own Cities of Trail, Rossland and Grand Forks and the Village of Fruitvale have all adopted Zero Waste goals.
Once the Zero Waste goal had been adopted the RDKB developed a strategy for reaching the goal. As you can see from reading the strategy, we are already well on our way to making Zero Waste a reality.
During the revision of our Solid Waste Management Plan in 2004 – 2005 the processes for reaching Zero Waste were enshrined in the plan and interim goals were established. The RDKB aims to reach 60% diversion by 2010, 80% diversion by 2015 and 100% diversion by 2020, or to phrase it more correctly – 40% left in 2010, 20% left in 2015 and Zero Waste in 2020. To put that in perspective, by 2005 we were diverting over 50% of all waste and we had seen a 50% increase by weight in the amount of material captured in our recycling programs compared to 2002.
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How are we getting to Zero? |
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The RDKB has implemented programs and policies to make Zero Waste a reality. Over 90% of all our residents have access to curbside recycling. Anything that’s recyclable is banned from disposal. Our landfill charges give preference to source separated materials and charge only nominal fees to cover the costs of recycling concrete, metal and wood waste. And our Board of Directors tirelessly lobbies the Provincial Government to expand and improve Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs.
Those are the programs that have the industry take back their products at the end of their useful life. In BC we are fortunate to be able to return more products to industry funded programs than anywhere else in North America. We can return automotive batteries, tires, beverage containers, used oil, oil filters and oil containers, pharmaceuticals, rechargeable batteries, paint, solvents, pesticides and leftover fuel. In 2007 computers, printers and televisions will be added to that list.
The Minister of Environment, the Honourable Barry Penner, wrote to the RDKB in 2005 stating that the province will include all product waste in EPR programs.
When that becomes a reality the RDKB and its member municipalities will no longer have to fund garbage collection, recycling, landfills, and transfer stations. The savings to the taxpayer will be enormous. All we will be left to handle will be compostable material and construction and demolition waste, all of which can be easily managed and used locally.
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Who else thinks Zero Waste is a good idea?
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Besides local governments many progressive businesses have set Zero Waste as their goal. They realize that waste in a system means lost opportunity, lost resources and lost profit. Companies like Xerox, Interface Flooring Systems, Anheuser-Busch, Apple Computers and Hewlett Packard have all realized improved performance, increased profits and reduced costs by adopting Zero Waste principles. The Xerox Corporation alone realized savings of $45 million in 1999.
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Zero Waste Resources
More Waste Reduction tips:
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