On Tuesday, July 13th, Councillor Kavanagh and City Staff hosted an information session on Ottawa’s Solid Waste Diversion Program. d out what the City does with all our garbage & recycled waste.
- Link to Chat File
- Q & A
- Continue your engagement on Waste Diversion, visit Engage.Ottawa.ca/SolidWasteMasterPlan
The following video was presented during the information session.
Q & A
The following questions were submitted to and answered by the City in advance of the session.
What is the status of the landfield life expancy?
2036-2038, i.e. in a good 15 years. This prognosis is based on the assumption that we keep doing what we’re doing right now and factors in Ottawa’s expected growth. If we change our behaviour and create less garbage, it’ll last longer.
Are we meeting the ‘’Zero Waste’’goal?
Zero Waste is less of a goal than a vision for the City’s Solid Waste Master Plan that’s currently being developed. Council approved the Phase 2 report last Wednesday. The Waste Plan itself will only be completed in 2023 and define the parameters for Ottawa’s waste management over the next 30 years. So, no, we are not yet meeting the zero waste vision. This concept is an incentive for a change of mindset and behaviour. Visit ottawa.ca/wasteplan for more information about the plan and upcoming engagement opportunities.
What is the % of diversion?
Based on the last waste audit (2018), the diversion rate is 43.2%. If all residents took part in all our waste diversion programs, it could be 75%.
What are the gaps?
Overall participation in green bin program, and residents not participating in the recycling program in the multi-residential sector.
What is being done to get serious about reduction at source, especially plastic packaging?
As a municipality, we are responsible for collection and processing of residential waste, but we don’t really have a say in consumer choices. We also have no authority over businesses and their packaging. The federal government will ban some single use plastic items as of 2022. Having said all that, we do have a web page with waste reduction tips on ottawa.ca. We’re constantly developing new content, and waste reduction will play an important role in the development of the Solid Waste Master Plan. Staff are also reviewing the contracts for the sale of plastic water bottles in City facilities.
Are the sorted materials that are recovered actually recycled? What assurances do we have that they are?
Yes. They are processed, baled and sold to market right here in Ottawa, at the Material Recycling Facility on Sheffield Road, which is operated by Cascades Recovery+. The assurance is the revenue we get from the sales of our materials, which is benefitting taxpayers ($7,000,000 in 2020). You can check out our What happens to my Recycling? video to learn more about the process and how the materials are being reused.
Are there any insights into the changes to recycling coming in 2023 as Ontario moves to making producers responsible for recycling? Specifically around products that will be added and removed, and whether we will move to a single-stream collection model?
Yes and no. We know that IPR (Individual Producer Responsibility) is coming, but we don’t know the details yet. There will be a transition phase from 2023 to 2025, so the real changes will probably only come into effect in 2026. Ultimately, the goal is to harmonize the recycling program across the Province, so there may well be items that will be added to or removed from Ottawa’s current list of acceptable materials.
Plastic is now allowed in compost bins. Any plastic? How is it separated from the organic matter?
No, not any plastic. No bottles, containers or any other type of hard plastic. Plastic bags can be used as a bagging option for your household organic material. You can use any kind of plastic bag as an option to wrap food waste, including retail bags, bread bags, milk bags, produce bags etc. Dog waste should also be placed in the green bin, but it must be in a sealed, leak-proof bag. At the processing plant, the material mix first gets shredded, then aerated, then screened. The plastic is removed from the compost during screening and sent to landfill. This process will also be explained during the presentation.
What happens to contents of the blue box or black box when they are contaminated with the wrong items? Ex. Plastics that are not on the list of acceptable containers like broken plastic hangers or soiled pizza boxes in the black box.
The contaminants are sorted at the Material Recycling Facility (MFR) through a manual, mechanical, optical and magnetic sorting process. They are then sent to landfill. See What happens to my Recycling? for details.
Where can we direct questions on recycling products when we can’t find the answer on waste explorer?
Please check out our Recycling page on ottawa.ca. It has a list of the materials that are accepted in the blue and black bins and also tells you what is not acceptable.
Can the City actually direct restaurants to use compostable or recyclable takeout containers?
No, we can’t. We have no jurisdiction over the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) Sector.
What can we do to encourage the growth of bulk food sales where customers bring their own containers and how can be reduce the difference in prices which are generally higher per unit weight or volume for people who buy in bulk compared to those who buy in single use containers?
Unfortunately, as a municipality, we have no say in consumer choices and no jurisdiction over the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) Sector.
What plastics should not go in recycle bin?
Any type of plastic bags or other film plastic, coffee cup lids, #6 expanded polystyrene (such as Styrofoam containers and packaging, meat trays and foam clam shells), hard plastics such as dishes, cups, toys, make-up jars, laundry baskets, motor oil containers
Does a two substance item get rejected? Examples- envelope with cellophane window, tissue box with plastic opening, milk carton with plastic opening.
These items are okay to go in the black (envelopes and tissue box) and blue bin (milk carton), the contamination is negligible. However, padded envelopes with bubble wrap inside should not go in the black bin but in the garbage.
What kinds of plastic are not acceptable? E.g. black, clam shells, plastic bags, Tupperware-type containers, coffee cup lids
Any type of plastic bags or other film plastic, coffee cup lids, #6 expanded polystyrene (such as Styrofoam containers and packaging, meat trays and foam clam shells), hard plastics such as dishes, cups, toys, make-up jars, laundry baskets, motor oil containers
What about disposable coffee cups-where do they go?
Pure fibre products and those with a wax lining can go in the green bin. When they are lined with plastic they need to go in the garbage. Make the rip test – if you can’t rip it, it’s plastic.
What about glass? E.g. broken drinking glasses.
You can set out broken glass with your garbage, but please make sure our waste collection operators don’t get hurt. The best way to do it is to put it in a separate, well padded closed box that has “broken glass” clearly written on it.
What goes to hazardous waste?
Anything that’s corrosive, flammable or poisonous. Please see ottawa.ca/hhw for more information, also about upcoming depots.
How we can encourage to reduce waste that affects the land?
This is a big question. By doing our best to educate the public and incentivise behaviour change.
What can be pursued to decrease the amount of “yard waste” out to the curb ie leaves in wasteful paper bags? They can easily be collected the same manner to place in or around a backyard composter, to protect flower beds and act as mulch in spring.
Even mowing leaves (mulching) into the lawn supports return of nutrients into the soil. Less pickup and transport of these supports decreased need for use of fossil fuels, increased carbon sequestration. Less need to transport and purchase “nutrients” in bags as people go to replace what they had sent away. Unless it’s weedy seedy it can support even a backyard garden. What ideas can support less of this waste?
These are all fair points and definitely choices residents can make. We are, however, obliged to pick up their leaf and yard waste if they don’t, and we make sure it’s processed in the most sustainable manner. If it’s part of the green bin, it’s getting turned into compost that’s sold to the agricultural community. When it’s collected separately during Spring and Fall peak season, it’s being turned into potting soil, which is then sold to the public at our Trail Road Waste Facility. Paper bags are not really a problem; they just decompose with the leaf and yard waste. People should just not use plastic bags for their leaf and yard waste.
Plastics: what is not recyclable, what is the market for recycling, is it effective vis a vis “environmental accounting” considering energy used to recycle, cardboard food /takeout packaging – recyclable if slightly greasy or soiled? Put in compost? When will diapers be allowed in compost, why was it changed? Dog poop?
Film plastics are not recyclable, our program is only for empty household containers. The market for recycling products is good, especially paper products and aluminum, but also mixed plastic. – Yes, it is effective. Otherwise, all these material would end up in the landfill instead of getting reused. – Blue bin materials should be clean, but they don’t have to be squeaky clean. A quick rinse is good enough. Slightly greasy doesn’t matter. – Soiled paper, tissue and pizza boxes should go in the green bin, not in the black bin. – There are no plans to allow diapers in our green bin program. — Dog waste is allowed (in a sealed, leak-proof bag), and so is any other animal waste like hamster bedding or kitty litter.
When is Ottawa going to start collecting thin plastic packaging and bags for recycling like Toronto does? I am single and it only took me 9 months to collect a huge garbage bag solid with thin plastic waste.
At this point, every Ontario municipality’s recycling program is different. This will change over the course of the next few years with the transition to an Individual Producer Responsibility (IPR) model. We don’t know the details yet, but we do know that the acceptable materials will be harmonized across the Province.
Has the city been active in pushing in the federal government to make good on his promise to ban all those single use plastics that fill up our landfill? If not, why not? People have been getting a lot of takeout during Covid, and this creates a lot of plastic waste that is unnecessary. We need to think about stopping waste at its source.
Yes. Staff in the Long Term Planning Branch within Solid Waste Services have been participating in engagement opportunities with the federal government and have expressed their support for the federal government moving forward with the SUP ban.
What’s the difference between yard waste and the organic material I put in my green bin? Can I put dirt or weeds in the green bin? I have heard many different ideas on this, so would like to know what are the regulations.
There is no difference. Yard waste and organic material placed in the green bin go through the same accelerated tunnel composting process at the organics processing plant. However, leaf and yard waste placed at the curb in bundles or paper bags is collected separately during Spring and Fall peak season and transported to Trail Road for outdoor composting. That material is being turned into potting soil, which is then sold to the public at our Trail Road Waste Facility. – Yes, weeds can go in the green bin. If “dirt” means soil/earth, it must be brought to the landfill where a tipping fee for disposal will be charged (if we’re talking big quantities; a wilted house plant can certainly go in the green bin, as long as you remove the pot).
Will the waste diversion program include adding green bins for apartment buildings?
Currently, 839 properties are participating in the green bin program, that’s almost half of all multi-residential properties in Ottawa. We offer the green bin program to every apartment building. Staff work closely with property owners to implement the green bin program at their properties, but we cannot to force them to sign up for the service.
What happens to the contents of the blue box? The green bin? Is it working out to use plastic bags in the green bin?
Yes, plastic bags are definitely a bagging option to wrap food waste. More information is provided in the presentation.
Is the plasma system still in operation at trail road? From last years report it would seem that plastics do not have a good post use reuse. Since they are sorted at the MIRF plasma seems like a great option in that at least you capture the KJ?
If you’re referring to Plasco’s incineration project, no, the trial facility hasn’t been operational for a long time. New and innovative technologies will, however, be considered in the context of the Solid Waste Master Plan.
Also currently everything is curb side. If I have to much cardboard to store for two weeks and I take it to trail road I pay tipping fees? At the cottage there is 11 station waste transfer station. In so doing a higher pre sort occurs. Thus making the waste more valuable. Why do we not have similar systems through out the city for those who care?
Over the next few years, changes will for sure come to the current waste collection system. Various options and best practices will be considered. In the meantime, please note that you do not have to pay any tipping fees for recyclable materials when you drop them off at Trail.
Lastly the province is working on a new system for recyclables to be run by the manufacture how is it believed this will affect the recycleable programs? I believe it maybe similar to BC systems.
Yes, it’s the above-mentioned IPR, Individual Producer Responsibility system. Producers will be physically and fiscally responsible for the whole lifecycle of their products and packaging. We don’t know the details yet, but we do know that the acceptable materials will be harmonized across the Province.
Does any plastic and cans go to waste sites, rumors causing my neighbor not to recycle. Bug’s me alot. Why no recycling bins at Brittania beach ?
No. Plastic (containers) and cans you put in your blue bin are sorted, processed, baled and shipped to market at the Material Recycling Facility (check out the What happens to my Recycling? video for more information). – The City is in the process of expanding its existing 3-stream-Recycling in Parks pilot project from 10 to 33 parks across the City. The decision which parks to include was based on geographic distribution as well as operational feasibility. Staff will update Council in late 2022 on the success of the pilot as well as the next steps.
