Region looks at long-term organics management plan

While most households in Ontario have access to recycling programs, not all municipalities have organic waste programs. Most of the larger municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area have curbside green bin programs, but not everyone is using them. In Durham Region, waste audits show that one third of organic waste is still ending up in the garbage bag.

The Region is actively exploring options for a long-term organics management plan which will include the presorting of organics and recyclables from the garbage and processing the organic materials. Coupled with the existing curbside green bin program, this mixed waste pre-sorting could help us reach the Region’s diversion goal of diverting 70 per cent of its residential waste from disposal.

In 2017, the Province announced its intention to phase in a food and organic waste disposal ban as early as 2022 as part of its proposed Food and Organic Waste Framework and policy. This is significant to the Region’s Long-Term Waste Management Plan. The work the Region is already doing with its Green Bin program paired with the long-term organics management plan, will go a long way to help Durham meet the diversion requirements of the Food and Organic Waste Framework.