Newsroom:
New Status Report on Hazardous Waste in Ontario
Ottawa, Windsor, Burlington top 3 Hazardous Waste Districts
September 05, 2007
Despite some progress in the province, hazardous waste continues to threaten human health, the environment and Ontario’s economy due to continued significant quantities of hazardous waste and gaps in regulation and enforcement, according to a new status report by the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP). The report, called “Hazardous Waste in Ontario: Progress and
Challenges,” is available at www.cielap.org.
Stated in the report, “Hazardous waste is a problem that continues to require urgent attention not only from environmental and ethical perspectives, but from a cost perspective as well. Various negative external costs must be addressed, including water contamination, air pollution, and clean-up costs from accidents.”
“Contaminants are also entering the food chain and affecting the health of Ontario residents. This environmental health issue is likely creating significant costs for the public health care system as well as employers.”
As well as detailing shortcomings, CIELAP’s report identifies where the government has made some progress, such as ending land disposal of untreated hazardous waste from large-quantity producers. “Finally the government of Ontario is taking action on this file; the public understands the need for action but there is unfinished business,” said Anne Mitchell, CIELAP’s Executive Director. “CIELAP urges the government to continue its efforts to safely dispose of hazardous waste and promote pollution prevention and toxic product use reduction.”
In 2005 Ontario generated 1,721,240 tonnes of hazardous and liquid industrial waste. This amount is comparable to the 1,724,933 tonnes we generated in 2000, meaning that there has been no significant reduction in the generation of hazardous and liquid industrial waste over the past 5 years. While the numbers haven’t increased, the province needs to step up its efforts to bring this waste generation down. The top 3 districts in Ontario that generate hazardous and liquid industrial waste are: 1. Ottawa - 250,887
tonnes; 2. Burlington - 233,939 tonnes; and 3. Windsor - 187,050 tonnes.
“The Ontario government must provide the resources to implement its most recent hazardous waste management initiatives effectively, and it should address the need for additional laws and policies,” explained Maureen Carter-Whitney, CIELAP’s Research Director and author of the report. “It is also essential that the public be given easier access to information about hazardous waste generation in Ontario, free of charge.”
For example, the provincial government needs to: invest in enough resources to ensure compliance with implementation of the new Land Disposal Restriction Regulation; develop a guideline for hazardous waste incinerators that includes rigorous emissions and operating standards; and take a stronger role in stormwater monitoring and management.
“The government must continue working to ensure that Ontario’s environment and economy are adequately protected,” said Mitchell. “We’ve conducted several years of research and analysis on hazardous waste in the province, and now encourage the government to quickly implement the recommendations in the report.”
CIELAP has recommended that the provincial government:
- Actively pursue a pollution prevention strategy for hazardous wastes that focuses on reducing toxics use;
- Promote Extended Producer Responsibility in Ontario, and require “design for environment” changes and the phase-out of specific hazardous materials used in products; and
- Address the problem of hazardous waste discharges into sewage systems, particularly the increasing volume of persistent toxic contaminants and the quality of sewage treatment plant discharges into water.
For more information or to arrange interviews, contact:
Brent Kulba, (e|c|o media relations), 416-972-7401, kulbab@huffstrategy.com
Founded in 1970, the Canadian Institute for Environmental Law and Policy (CIELAP) is an independent environmental law and policy research and education organization.