Metro Vancouver's Zero Waste Challenge is not going to result in as dramatic a reduction in our environmental footprint as is being hyped, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA).
In an open letter sent out October 16, Marc Lee, senior economist, said that Metro Vancouver intends to rely more and more on incineration to divert waste from landfills. He said Metro Vancouver is pushing for a second incineration facility, which would more than double incineration to 650,000 tonnes of garbage per year.
"Burning garbage does not make waste go away; it merely transforms it," Lee wrote. "Some goes into the air as particulate, including toxic compounds (dioxins and furans), as well as greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide).
"The rest becomes ash residue, which can be anywhere from 22-45% of the original tonnage of waste burned."
Lee said Metro Vancouver needs to be open to a new plan that truly pushes for zero waste, which would include incentives for reusable packaging and containers and more recycling.
He said the provincial government should be involved in this as this type of systemic change is beyond the scope of what Metro Vancouver can do on its own. This would involve effective collection systems and ensuring that local markets are created for recycled materials.
