High on Toronto's agenda is a resolution to our waste disposal requirements.
Toronto creates a lot of garbage, and we don't know what to do with it. For a while we were sending it to Michigan, but now they are cutting us off. Though Toronto has made excellent progress with green bin and recycling programs, we must still dispose of 86 truckloads of residential waste and 12 truckloads of sewage sludge every day. While an immediate solution is required for sewage sludge, we can still ship residential waste to Michigan until 2010. We have less than four years to find resolution.

This is Ontario's Issue

We live in one of the biggest land areas of the world. Ontario is larger than any American state, and larger than many countries. Most of the land area is unpopulated, or sparsely populated. And yet there is no waste facility in the province that can handle the needs of the population. Along with the other regions in the GTA, Toronto has been sending garbage to Michigan, Quebec and New York. We count on our neighbors to take our trash because we cannot handle it ourselves. Somehow, Michigan can handle their own garbage and ours, in a land area about 1/8th the size of Ontario. In Ontario, half the population (6 million people) live in an area covering less than 1% of the province. Do people on the other 99% say it is not their problem?

What Else Could We Do?

There are many solutions to waste management, some of which are already being applied in the Toronto area. Every city in the world has to deal with waste management issues, and some do a better job than others. For example, Edmonton, with a population just over 1 million, is the home of the largest composting site in Canada. Edmonton now recycles 65% of residential waste, while Toronto recycles 40%. Why can't we do the same as Edmonton, or other cities more successful than Toronto?
Wikipedia: List of Solid Waste Treatment Technologies
As for incineration, waste-to-energy plants emit less pollution than coal plants, but more than natural gas plants. I will not support a solution that adds to air pollution. In addition, energy created through waste costs more than energy from other sources, and incinerators require fuel that could be otherwise recycled. In my opinion, sanitary landfill is the answer, along with enhanced programs of composting, recycling and waste reduction.

The World's Best Waste Disposal Facility

What if we really applied the current knowledge of waste technology and created the world's best waste disposal facility? There are a lot of very talented people in Ontario who could plan and operate such a site, a large waste disposal facility that enhances the environment instead of harming it. Located somewhere in Northern or Central Ontario, access should be by train rather than truck.

The community that elected to host and maintain this site would see tremendous growth in their town. Jobs would be available, and with the well-organized facility would come specialized job training and healthy working conditions.

The site could be structured as a profit center. Fees charged would cover more than operating costs, turning this waste disposal facility into a strong business. The business could support a community, repay the money required for initial startup, and provide for continuous growth and upgrade.

The price required from cities to use the facility would also encourage the cities to do some of their own processing. Costs of running green bin and recycle programs should be less than dumping.

Once basic plans and financing are arranged, communities can be encouraged to submit bids for their area to host the facility. If this scenario is treated like the opportunity that it really is, we could see a resolution to the Ontario waste disposal issue over the next few years.