Town of Richmond Hill Council Highlights
April 7,2008

Town Achieves 64 Per Cent Waste Diversion

Council received a report highlighting the success of the Town’s GoingGREEN program. When comparing from when it began in April 2007 to today, the Town has achieved an average diversion rate per month of 64 per cent – close to its goal of 65 per cent.

Before Green Bin collection began, the Town’s average monthly waste diversion rate was only 26 per cent. To gauge the public’s acceptance of the program and identify barriers as well as opportunities for improvement, the Town conducted a participation study and waste audits. In addition to reducing the number of garbage bags collected per household from 3.6 to 2 bags every other week, results identified more opportunities for residents to divert their waste.

For example, some were still disposing of styrofoam in their Blue Box, not as it should be in the garbage, while tissue and paper towels can be diverted from garbage to the Green Bin. The Town’s waste diversion rate will continue to grow as the Blue Box program is expanded to apartment buildings this summer.

Council expressed their appreciation for residents’ cooperation and support of GoingGREEN and encouraged everyone to continue making use of the Blue Box and Green Bin to divert recyclables and household organics from landfill. The GoingGREEN program demonstrates the Town’s goal to achieve a sustainable and environmentally-responsible community.

For more information, contact Jeff Meggitt, Manager of Waste Management and Traffic Operations at (905) 884-8013 (From Committee of the Whole Meeting held on Monday, March 31, 2008; Staff Report SREPW.08.035, Agenda Item No. 18

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