4. Reducing waste and preventing pollution |
In the past 10 years, Manitobans have adopted recycling as part of their daily lives. Today, 60% of all Manitobans recycle. Waste reduction activities are compatible with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, water stewardship resource conservation and creating new community economic and employment activities. We know we must expand these opportunities for waste reduction and we must also deal with the serious issue of hazardous waste in sites that have been abandoned.
As the supply and the market for recycling continues to grow, new models for administering waste reduction activities are needed. In Manitoba, these models are being worked on together with industry and communities and will include the concept of producer responsibility and the need to address the growing issue of electronic waste. Better co-ordination of waste reduction activities and new targets for reuse and recycling will be realized in the coming years through the new Green Manitoba agency.
| Our fourth green priority is to reduce waste through enhanced recycling and reuse initiatives. Many actions are being taken to meet this priority. |
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Green Manitoba - Bringing Eco Solutions to You
 Throughout this green strategic framework, the need for co-ordination of energy efficiency, water conservation and waste reduction activities has been referenced. Green Manitoba is a new one-stop storefront agency that will implement many of the activities outlined in this document. As a delivery organization, Green Manitoba will develop and implement key programs that will foster environmental innovation and community development. This will include community based approaches to promote waste reduction and the efficient use of water and energy, focusing in the immediate term on four waste
minimization priorities: tires, blue box materials, household hazardous waste, waste from electronic products (e-waste) and paint.
Product Stewardship
More than 200 local governments receive funds from the Manitoba government to operate residential recycling services from a two-cent levy on beverage containers paid by the manufacturer or seller. Community recycling programs received more than $7.8 million in 2004/05 and recovered 64,613 tonnes of eligible recyclable materials - a recovery rate of 70% of available materials. On an economic scale, the sale of recyclable materials generated an additional $6 million in revenue for Manitoba communities.
Used Oil Recovery
 Three million dollars in revenue is generated annually by a product levy established and paid for by members of the Association for Resource Recovery. In partnership with local governments and businesses, 70 EcoCentres and collection facilities have been set up to collect oil, oil filters and containers. Almost 80% of the used oil available for recovery is being recovered and recycled. In addition, 1.6 million filters and 350,000 kilograms of containers were recovered and recycled in 2004.
Tire Stewardship
Tire processors received almost $2.7 million in 2004/05 and local governments received more than $60,000 for collecting tires at landfills. Almost 14,000 tonnes of scrap tires were recycled and kept out of landfills.
The Manitoba government recently announced that the province's tire stewardship board will move to an industry-led model, based on the successful oil recycling program, and receive $500,000 in new funding.
WRAPP Fund
 To stimulate organic composting and other waste reduction initiatives, the Waste Reduction and Pollution Prevention (WRAPP) fund was established in 2000. The purpose of the WRAPP Fund is to provide environmental assistance grants that will help organizations, businesses and local governments move towards more sustainable waste management and prevention practices. The fund supports projects that develop local capacity for sustainable waste reduction and pollution prevention as well as projects that demonstrate the economic viability and environmental benefits of waste reduction and pollution prevention.
WRAPP has supported 147 projects totaling $2.4 million since 2000. Project participants include local municipalities, First Nations and non-governmental agencies. Across the province, recycling rates have increased by double digits every year since the introduction of the WRAPP fund with a more than 50% increase in recycling in northern Manitoba.
We will build on this by:
- ensuring better co-ordination and promotion of recycling, water conservation, energy efficiency and waste reduction through the newly-launched Green Manitoba agency
- introducing a comprehensive approach to dealing with the complex issue of hazardous waste sites including site remediation and tougher fines for site abandonment
- strengthening the polluter-pay principle in Manitoba environmental legislation
- continuing to move forward on implementing a producer responsibility model for waste reduction and recovery, in consultation with industry and other stakeholders
- setting new waste minimization targets for priority waste streams, focusing on increasing problem areas like e-waste, as well as setting new targets for water conservation and home heating efficiency
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