I just received my new blue bin today. I have spent months trying to understand why the city of Toronto believes this plan will result in waste diversion and not simply create a landfill stuffed with 5 million plus old garbage and recycling bins.
Most people who have received the new bins have already noted they are flimsy and of very poor quality. The lids can't be latched and I can't speak for other neighbouthoods, but the racoons in mine are quite happy to riffle throught the recycling in hopes of finding even a lick of food on the inside of a pizza or frozen food box.
In US cities and Vancouver, where the new bins (recycling and blue) have already been studied, the volume of garbage under the plan actually increased. Yes, people produced more garbage. It has been hypothesized that people match their garbage consumption to the size of the bin. So the person who was producing on average a bag of garbage weekly, but paid the levy not to have to store garbage over the holidays, after birthdays, or just after the summer BBQ they decided to host...actually begins increasing their weekly garbage to match the size of the bin.
Cities with the plan also realized that mechanical pick-up means that what's in the bin isn't inspected. Meaning people were quite happy to get the smallest garbage bin and place their garbage in the largest blue bin. This resulted in massive increases in spending to sort garbage and in fact take waste that had been incorrectly diverted to the recycling plant to the landfill. This results in more trucks making extra trips and spewing more toxins into the air.
Unlike other cities, Toronto has simply said try to re-use your old containers. In BC and the US extensive community events were organized to help citizens convert their old garbage cans in rain barrels etc, in an effort to reduce water concumption. Not in the "Green" city of Toronto, they are suggesting you use the cans for yard waste. I like most other environmentally conscious residents have reuseable bins for yardwaste, I hardly need another one. Moreover the city doesn't want you to create a rain barrel as they are in the business of selling them.
The harsh reality is that the current platic blue bins and garbage cans people have will make their way into landfills, unless of course the city will be proactive and collect up the old bins to be recycled or reused. This means more waste. All of which doesn't even take into account the energy used or cost of shipping etc all of the new bins to replace those we already have.
Many city insiders acknowledge all of this, despite the slick marketing to the contrary. Which is when they acknowledge this is all about fewer Waste Management employees being on leave for injuries sustained on the job lifting and hauling bags. With the new trucks (fiscal and environmental costs aside) everything will be mechanical operated by the worker from the airconditioned comfort of this truck's cab.
I'm waiting for the challenge which will be forthcoming from those with disabilities over the denial of their acess to curbside waste pick-up. I have no doubt the city will lose and it will cost us millions in the long run.
I can't wait till the next election. In the sort term, I'm keen to have Toronto names the Rubermaid Capital of the World....we buy more plastic per capita than anyone else. Ever wonder what happened to our old city garbage cans which were replaced with the new plastic "street furniture"? Just ask Mayor Miller if he knows where they are now.
