Ontario's Waste Diversion Act was passed in 2002 to promote reducing, reusing and recycling waste.
The act establishes key players' roles and responsibilities related to the development, approval, implementation and operation of waste diversion programs. These players are:
The Minister of the Environment
As the guardian of the public interest, the minister has a number of powers assigned by the Waste Diversion Act. The Minister may:
- designate materials for which a waste diversion program can be required
- require that Waste Diversion Ontario develop a program for that material
- provide policy direction on what the program should include such as diversion targets and when it should be completed
- approve programs developed by Waste Diversion Ontario
- establish through regulation an industry funding organization
Waste Diversion Ontario
Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) is a non-government organization that is run by a Board of Directors currently comprised of industry, municipal, government and non-governmental representatives. WDO works with industry funding organizations to develop, implement and operate waste diversion programs that drive the reduction, reuse or recycling of wastes that are designated under the act.
Industry funding organizations
Industry funding organizations are comprised of industry representatives for the designated material to be diverted. They develop, implement and operate diversion programs, and are primarily responsible for:
- identifying obligated producers
- establishing fees that individual producers pay
- collecting and distributing program funding
- education and outreach activities associated with diversion programs