Minister's Speech

Remarks Prepared For:

The Honourable John Gerretsen
Minister of the Environment

Annual General Meeting
April 09, 2009

(Check against delivery)

Thank you, Cliodhna.

(Ms. Cliodhna McMullin,Chair, Waste Diversion Ontario) will be introducing the Minister)

I am pleased to be able to join you again this year for your annual general meeting.

First off, it gives me the opportunity to recognize all that has been accomplished over the past year.

Without a doubt, it’s been a year of immense challenges. 

These are tough times and everyone is focused on the economy — simply surviving this downturn is going to take a lot of effort, ingenuity and, quite frankly, guts and determination.

And yet, the government has been asking a lot of everyone — WDO, industry, NGOs and municipalities, as well.

We have asked you to put time and effort into waste diversion programs — resources which are scarce for many businesses today.

I know that in many cases, as available resources are reduced, the same people are taking on a wider range of responsibilities for their companies.

A lot of good work is also being done by trade associations on behalf of their members, and in many cases, they too are being stretched and strained to help their members survive.

So, on behalf of our government and the people of Ontario, I want to thank you in what is a very challenging and difficult time.

Despite all the pressures, a lot has been accomplished this year.

Accomplishments

We launched the first phase of the Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste program back in January.

Just a week or so ago, we launched the e-waste program for electronic and electrical equipment waste.

The next two phases for both WEEE and MHSW are now being developed.

And WDO recently submitted a used tire program.

Now, I know the timelines proved to be very demanding on all these programs.

The fact is — we are all learning as we go.

All these programs are firsts for Ontario … and I’ve heard how challenging and complex the work has been to get these diversion programs put together.

One of the messages we heard loud and clear was that there needs to be more time allowed — particularly when we are dealing with a situation compounded by an unstable economy, where resources are simply not available.

Waste Diversion Act Review

I think we can all agree another significant development this year has been the Waste Diversion Act review.

There are a lot of different perspectives on the challenges.

We’ve certainly heard a number of varied comments …

We’ve heard that the various roles are unclear … the process is complicated, it’s too prescriptive, that we need to simplify it and make it clearer …

We’ve heard that we need to provide more flexibility so that you are able to meet waste diversion objectives in the way that best suits business.

We also heard that business wants greater certainty … they want to know what the expectations are and the timeframes they have to work with, and that these timelines are practical.

Some of the comments have also focused on the “economics” — saying that it is too easy to dispose of these materials or too cheap, that recycling is too costly and there aren’t enough markets — which all contribute to the challenges.
 
We will closely consider what we have heard.

It is clear we need to make sure the WDA responds to the new realities of waste diversion in Ontario … and the new reality of building a green economy in our province.

Blue Box Review

I am also looking forward to seeing WDO’s recommendations on improving the Blue Box program and increasing diversion of those materials.

I understand to some, the program is working well so, why fix it? Perhaps it only needs a “tweak”. 

If you talk to others — you hear a different story and it needs a complete  “overhaul”.

We know some have expressed concern about the growing complexity of the system.

As for the general public — they are simply not engaged in that level of detail.  They want to be able to participate and do their bit as conveniently as possible.

We have come a long way with the Blue Box program and we have had success.  

But we can and must do more.

That is what we’ve asked WDO to advise us on.

To me, a few things are clear.

We need new targets — and we have to be ambitious.

Another point to consider is the role of municipalities.

They have made tremendous efforts to manage the blue box system over the last two decades, investing in the infrastructure we have today.

However, packaging is becoming more complex and challenging to manage in the existing system.

The future role of municipalities in an Extended Producer Responsibility  system is an important discussion that I’m sure we will have.

EPR

At the same time, we all need to recognize that EPR is here to stay.

We may quibble about “exactly” what we mean by that — but that is a discussion of degree not principle.

EPR is the way the world is going.

Just take a look at what’s happening across Canada, in the U.S. and in Europe.

Both California and Oregon have recently introduced proposed framework EPR legislation, which would establish full EPR for designated products, from collection through processing.

At a recent meeting of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment in Whitehorse, the council agreed to consult on standards for reducing packaging — all based on the principle of extended producer responsibility.

It’s clear that all governments are taking this very seriously and everyone is recognizing change is inevitable.

As Chair of the CCME, I will be championing EPR throughout my term… and I’m eager to hear from industry about how best to move forward.

Our government’s goal is, and always has been, to work with Ontario businesses and municipalities to create diversion programs that make sense for both the environment and for business.

We see this as an opportunity to create certainty for business … we hear you and we are serious about providing that certainty so business can plan for the future.

Where we’re heading — the new green economy

These are tough times.  No question.

What is different about this economic downturn is the environment remains a key priority for the public.

This is not the time to retreat from our green agenda but to prepare for the next upturn in the economy and be sure Ontario takes the right steps to be well-positioned when that happens.

Ontario’s approved waste diversion programs are helping recycling companies like SIMS demonstrate they can meet audited standards under the electronics program to increase their amount of electronics being recycled.

In fact, in many ways people are moving faster than most governments and business in embracing the green economy.

Ontarians are looking for business to step up and offer products and services that take concern for the environment into consideration.

It’s very quickly becoming part of doing business.

As people continue to become more and more aware about doing their part for the good of the environment, they are seeking out and buying products from companies and retailers who feel the same way.

There is a new understanding of how all environmental and economic issues are intrinsically linked.

The fact is we all need to understand the larger context — how all the small steps add up to being part of the bigger picture … where sustainable communities are linked to healthy people … a strong and successful province and a healthy planet.

Smart, progressive companies, no matter what size, are looking at ways they can reduce energy costs, reduce waste, reuse materials … and how all these actions can be linked to our number one environmental challenge — climate change.

This is an important change in how business sees its corporate responsibility. 

By encouraging and supporting more of this kind of responsibility … we will go a long way to ensuring Ontario will be a leader in the green transformation that is going on the world over.

Used Tire Program:

So, what’s coming next?

I’m pleased to announce today we are moving ahead on a program for the 12 million used tires generated each year in the province.

This program will ensure the right thing is being done with used  tires and it will clean up the stockpiles of approximately 3 million used tires in the province.

This is a major step in the right direction. 

The program I’m announcing today contains a number of “firsts”.

This will be the first tire program in Canada based on Extended Producer Responsibility.

This means tire manufacturers will be taking responsibility for the 12 million used tires generated in Ontario each year.

This program will also be the first to include off road tires used for farming, mining, forestry and other commercial uses.

And Ontario’s tire program is the first in Canada to put an emphasis on incenting the creation of value-added products from used tires.

This is a key point.

We are going to help encourage the development of green technologies to use these recycled material rather than simply burning them or using them in landfills – thus helping create jobs in Ontario’s new and emerging green economy.

Tire recycling companies like National Rubber Technologies are planning to buy new equipment, expand their recycling capacity and create new jobs as a result of this program.

Innovation and leadership

When it comes to diverting waste — the government is looking to progressive businesses to take a leading role.

There is a clear competitive advantage to effectively minimizing waste and, as importantly — capitalizing on the waste you produce.

It is going to take a new way of thinking about waste: to see it as a raw material or a resource that becomes a new product.

This is the kind of thinking we need to move the needle on the diversion rates in Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) waste sectors. 

The IC&I sector remains stuck at low rates … around 12 per cent, according to some estimates, but certainly much lower than residential diversion rates.

This cannot continue.

There needs to be a rebalance so it makes more economic sense for our businesses to reduce and divert wastes to recycling than to fill up a landfill — here or anywhere else.

Progressive and forward-thinking businesses are pursuing ways they can reduce costs, save energy and reduce their use of raw materials by paying attention to or even exceeding waste reduction requirements.

While some businesses have some serious catching up to do, we are seeing some great results here in Ontario.

Just look at a company like Warren’s Waterless Printing in Toronto — one of the companies recently recognized by RCO’s Waste Minimization Awards.

Warren’s is diverting close to 90 per cent of their paper, cardboard and metal wastes that previously would have been landfilled.

Their waterless printing process saves thousands of litres of water, they are focused on conserving energy and reducing emissions as well as reducing packaging, and most of their printed products are completely recyclable.

In many success stories like this one, companies large and small are designing products and processes to reduce waste in the first place, or are designing products for greater reuse.

They have found innovative ways to make the waste from one product or process useful for another.

And there are many more waste materials waiting for new and non-traditional applications.

We can build an economy around the resources we have been throwing away.

But it will take innovation.

It will mean integrating waste considerations into business decisions. And it will take leadership.

Looking forward, we know Ontario can be a competitive leader in this new, green economy.

There is no turning back.  We must move forward.  And we have the momentum to do so and go even further.

Conclusion

We know Ontarians are second-to-none when it comes to smart, innovative ideas that give us the competitive edge.

And we know that together, in the spirit of cooperation, mutual support and collaborative problem-solving we can build a cleaner, healthier and stronger Ontario for generations to come.

Thank you.

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