In the long, hot days of midsummer most of us are dedicated to leisurely pursuits, not thoughts of provincial recycling regulations, which is only good and proper. But government bureaucrats are facing a massive job in taking the much-lauded Waste Free Ontario Act from a visionary bill to legislation with sharp regulatory teeth.
Glen Murray, Ontario’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change must ensure that regulatory work on Bill 151 moves forward quickly, by dedicating staff and resources to get the job done. Passed in a June vote, the bill promises important change for the environment and economy. Recycling advocates who spent years pushing for stronger recycling laws are rightfully worried that without swift and focused action the opportunity for transformation will be lost.
It’s not an inconsequential concern. After all, regulatory change requires strategic plans, months of public consultations, follow-up studies and busy work defining the wording and intent of specific regulations. Before long, the government will be distracted by the 2018 election cycle and pending regulations could easily get lost in the mix. That would be a shame.
As Peter Hargreave, of the Ontario Waste Management Association said, “We now have the potential to be an environmental and economic leader in North America … With less than two years left until the next election, we can’t afford to let progress stall.” To be fair, the ministry has started the first of many public consultations on the Environmental Registry. It also posted a notice on the Public Appointments Secretariat, seeking interest from potential board members of a new waste oversight authority. That’s a start, but the momentum must grow.
“They need to hit the ground running,” said Jo-Anne St. Godard, executive director of the Recycling Council of Ontario. Ontario’s recycling industry has the potential to thrive — creating new jobs and environmental innovation — if companies that produce tires, electronics or household waste are held accountable through regulations in the new act.
For example, new rules would dissolve the industry-funded organizations that currently set eco-fees for tires and electronic waste. Regulations could set higher recycling standards and improve Ontario’s eternally dismal rate of 25 per cent. At the same time, new innovation could increase jobs and provide a boost to the economy. It’s an opportunity too good to squander.
To read the full story, visit https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/2016/07/31/make-visionary-recycling-bill-a-reality-editorial.html.