| Feb 15, 2017


The goals of Bill 151, The Waste-Free Ontario Act, 2016 are a “wonderful, noble objective but there are significant problems with blue box funding,” South Frontenac Public Works Manager Mark Segsworth told Council at its regular meeting Tuesday night in Sydenham.

Segsworth is a rare rural representative on the Ontario Waste Management Association board.

“I wouldn’t say I’m that active (on the board) as it’s mostly City of Toronto and big waste company representatives,” he said.

But while the idea of having absolutely no waste and 100 per cent recycling is admirable, there are many roadblocks that must be solved before it could ever become reality, he said.

“For one thing, it’s time we let producers be 100 per cent responsible for the products they produce,” he said. “My fridge was only 13 years old when it needed replacing and people said ‘wow, you got 13 years out of it.’

“That thinking has to change.”

And manufacturers are responsible for 50 per cent of blue box recycling programs, but don’t often make that goal. Segsworth said that has to be closer to 100 per cent for zero waste to have a chance.

“We’ve all heard the arguments for less packaging,” he said. “When is that going to take place.”

And it’s one thing to ban organics from land fills, but, he said:

“it would be great, we wouldn’t have garbage if we eliminated the organics but where is that going to go?

“I don’t think anybody has it figured out.”

He said the City of Vancouver has a private firm doing its blue box program but doesn’t see that as an option for rural municipalities because of volume.

However, he does see changes coming whatever they might be and as such has recommended Council try to extend its contract with existing waste contractors for three years (in order to buy some time) rather than negotiate new seven year contracts which they might end up having to pay for but not using. And too, it might mean that the existing contractors would be in a situation where they bought equipment that wouldn’t be needed.

“That’s the kind of challenges we face,” he said.

One thing Segsworth would like to see is waste management becoming a County wide contract.

“I’m led to believe that everybody believes zero waste is a good idea,” he said. “But a lot of it is coming out of the GTA, especially the demand to recycle organics.

“We need a solution that works in rural areas.”

In the meantime, Segsworth said that for organic waste: “We sell backyard composters for $33 each and that price hasn’t changed in years.”

The goals of Bill 151, The Waste-Free Ontario Act, 2016
are a “wonderful, noble objective but there are significant
problems with blue box funding,” South Frontenac Public
Works Manager Mark Segsworth told Council at its regular
meeting Tuesday night in Sydenham.
Segsworth is a rare rural representative on the Ontario
Waste Management Association board.
“I wouldn’t say I’m that active (on the board) as it’s mostly
City of Toronto and big waste company representatives,” he
said.
But while the idea of having absolutely no waste and 100
per cent recycling is admirable, there are many roadblocks
that must be solved before it could ever become reality, he
said.
“For one thing, it’s time we let producers be 100 per cent
responsible for the products they produce,” he said. “My
fridge was only 13 years old when it needed replacing and
people said ‘wow, you got 13 years out of it.’
“That thinking has to change.”
And manufacturers are responsible for 50 per cent of blue
box recycling programs, but don’t often make that goal. Segsworth
said that has to be closer to 100 per cent for zero
waste to have a chance.
“We’ve all heard the arguments for less packaging,” he
said. “When is that going to take place.”
And it’s one thing to ban organics from land fills, but, he
said: “it would be great, we wouldn’t have garbage if we
eliminated the organics but where is that going to go?
“I don’t think anybody has it figured out.”
He said the City of Vancouver has a private firm doing its
blue box program but doesn’t see that as an option for rural
municipalities because of volume.
However, he does see changes coming whatever they
might be and as such has recommended Council try to extend
its contract with existing waste contractors for three
years (in order to buy some time) rather than negotiate new
seven year contracts which they might end up having to pay
for but not using. And too, it might mean that the existing
contractors would be in a situation where they bought equipment
that wouldn’t be needed.
“That’s the kind of challenges we face,” he said.
One thing Segsworth would like to see is waste management
becoming a County wide contract.
“I’m led to believe that everybody believes zero waste is a
good idea,” he said. “But a lot of it is coming out of the GTA,
especially the demand to recycle organics.
“We need a solution that works in rural areas.”
In the meantime, Segsworth said that for organic waste:
“We sell backyard composters for $33 each and that price
hasn’t changed in years.”

Support local
independant journalism by becoming a patron of the Frontenac News.