Municipalities support greater industry responsibility for waste diversion costs

TORONTO, June 6, 2013 /CNW/ - The Association of Municipalities of Ontario supports holding individual producers more responsible for the costs of waste created by their products and packaging.

"Our populations are growing, our landfills are shrinking and products are becoming more difficult to dispose or recycle," said AMO President Russ Powers. "For too long, businesses have been able to pass waste costs off to property taxpayers, who have been left holding the bag - and the bill".

Although most Ontarians do their share by recycling, the amount of waste - and costs for managing it - continue to grow. The proposed Waste Reduction Act moves towards greater producer responsibility for recycling costs.

"Businesses need the additional incentive to reduce waste, improve products and packaging and use resources more efficiently", Mr. Powers said. "These efforts will make them more competitive, while protecting our environment".

The proposed bill clearly recognizes municipalities' critical role in waste collection and diversion.

"It should provide taxpayer's relief through greater industry funding for the Blue Box Program in the long term", said Peter Hume, Chair of the AMO Waste Management Task Force. "AMO looks forward to consulting with the Province on the details of the legislation and the transition to this new approach".

AMO is a non-profit organization representing almost all of Ontario's 444 municipal governments.  AMO supports and enhances strong and effective municipal government in Ontario and promotes the value of municipal government as a vital and essential component of Ontario and Canada's political system.

SOURCE: Association of Municipalities of Ontario

Brian Lambie, AMO Media Contact, 416-729-5425, [email protected]
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