Completing Phase 1
The City has completed the first phase of a 30-year plan that will guide how it manages solid waste. The Phase 1 Report provides an overview of waste management in Ottawa and explains what the project team has been doing during Phase 1. It also highlights trends in the industry and explains the public engagement approach for the two remaining phases of the master planning process.
Expanding Knowledge
Waste management is a complex topic. Understanding the facts, issues, limits and possibilities is key to starting an informed discussion. New backgrounders on Engage Ottawa contain relevant information on various topics, ranging from the circular economy to new and emerging technologies. They also explain why we need a Waste Plan in Ottawa and how it will be developed.
Engaging Residents
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are shifting all our engagement activities to an online format until we are able to meet in person again. There will be many opportunities to engage over the next two months, and we very much want to hear from you. A general survey seeking input from all residents on waste issues will go live mid-May, webinars and discussion forums will take place in June.
Reducing Garbage
The numbers in the infographic below refer to the total amount of waste collected from residents in 2019. Most of what residents threw out ended up in the garbage – even though almost half the waste created in an average household is compostable organic matter that could go into the green bin
There are many ways to reduce, reuse and recycle. Participating in the City’s waste diversion programs is a great start. The next step is to engage in the development of the Solid Waste Master Plan to help us improve waste management in our city.
Did you know…?
The City-owned Trail Road landfill is the second largest municipal landfill in Ontario. It is expected to reach its capacity in 2041.
Contact the Project Team
Email the project team at wasteplan@ottawa.ca
Developing the Master Plan
While developing the master plan, staff are working on eight supplementary projects to improve waste diversion:
- Projects to be completed this year:
- A pilot to divert waste from parks
- Consultation about diverting waste at special events
- Work to prepare for the forthcoming transition when the Province will make producers fully responsible for waste diversion programs
- Projects to be completed in 2021:
- A strategy to increase waste diversion at multi-residential properties
- A new policy to determine if additional items, like compostable coffee pods and utensils, could be accepted in green bins
- A review of service levels for curbside waste collection
- Projects to be completed in 2022:
- An assessment of whether the City can ban single-use and foamed plastics from its facilities
- Research on how we could process organics after the current contract ends
Residents and stakeholders will have opportunities to provide feedback during the next phases of the master plan, including:
- This summer on overall satisfaction with the City’s waste management, the kinds of waste management system they want in the future and the master plan’s vision, guiding principles, goals and objectives.
- This winter on proposed options for the master plan.
- Next fall on the draft master plan.
