News Release

For immediate release
December 22, 2003

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT BUILDS ON SUCCESS OF BLUE BOX PROGRAM
Approves plan for industry to pay half of municipal blue box costs

TORONTO - As part of its commitment to make waste diversion an environmental priority, the McGuinty government is taking steps to increase the recovery of blue box materials to 60 per cent by 2008, Environment Minister Leona Dombrowsky announced today.

“The previous government promised municipalities funding to support blue box programs but never delivered. We are taking positive action to help municipalities divert more waste from landfill to clean up our environment and improve the quality of life for Ontarians,” Dombrowsky said.

The McGuinty government has approved a plan that will, for the first time, direct industry to pay 50 per cent of the net cost of municipal blue box programs. About $3 million per month will flow from industry to municipalities beginning in early 2004.

The government has also asked Waste Diversion Ontario to submit by March 2004 a plan to expand the recovery of material suitable for blue boxes from the current 45 per cent to 60 per cent by 2008.

“This is a first step in our plan to drastically reduce landfill use. We plan on phasing in a ban on organic waste in our landfills because we believe that organic waste is a resource, not garbage,” said Dombrowsky. “Diverting more waste from landfill means a cleaner environment for all Ontarians.”

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Contacts:

See also:

• Media Backgrounder: Blue Box Program Plan
• Media Backgrounder: McGuinty Government Action On Blue Box Program Strongly Supported By Municipalities And Industry