Ontario City Sets Waste Diversion Record

A Canadian city has recently announced that it has surpassed the California city of San Francisco as the new leading municipality for overall waste diversion and recycling in North America.

City administrators from Markham, Ontario, part of the Toronto area, have announced that the city has attained a eighty one percent waste diversion rate, beating San Francisco’s eighty percent diversion rate. City officials are citing the use of new, clear garbage bags to help residents ensure that garbage is free of food scraps and organic waste and recyclable materials.

Markham had successfully held a seventy percent diversion rate for many years, but waste officials knew they needed to try something different if they wanted to continue the improvement. Switching to mandatory clear plastic garbage bags, along with the city provided bins for food compost and recyclables, resulted in the ability to see items being categorized as garbage – so “hiding” recyclables n trash bags increased in difficulty.

The jump in waste recycling and diversion is even more remarkable when one considers the city was at a thirty three percent diversion rate in 2001.

WasteCare Wants You to Remember: Even if your business or facility is brand new to recycling and waste diversion, it pays to remember that everyone has to start somewhere! If your diversion rate is very low, make a consistent effort to improve one year at a time by implementing well considered strategies. Over time, you’ll be saving more in waste disposal fees and on your way to a achieving a zero waste goal!