What is E-waste? May 30, 2016 Electronic waste or E-waste refers to discarded products that use electricity. Unlike waste, e-waste is recyclable as many of its parts is made of reusable materials. When disposed of, e-waste either will find itself in a landfill, where it is insinuated, left to decay with other waste, or is recycled for reuse. E-waste is quickly becoming a problem as the number of people buying electronics continues to grow. Because electronic components are made from a combination of toxic and…

What is Stream Contamination? May 30, 2016 Stream contamination is when a recycling stream is compromised in some form. This can range from unemptied packaging to the entry of non-recyclable materials like plastic bags. It occurs most often in single-stream programs because all types of recyclable materials are collected together, meaning that broken glass or unclean aluminum can compromise the collected recyclables. Contamination can be a major problem when it comes to recycling. Recycling reduces the need for raw materials by reusing the materials found…

What is Demand-side Waste Management? May 30, 2016 Demand-side waste management is consumers moving companies to create products that produce less waste and are made from recyclable or recycled. In this situation, consumers use their purchasing power to communicate with manufacturers their preferences. This is done through methods such as boycotting the company in question or buying product from a competitor who may meet the requirements that the public wants. One way companies can respond to this is through source reduction, reducing the amount of…

What is the difference between Institutional and Industrial waste? May 30, 2016 Institutional and industrial waste are classifications of refuse based on where they originate. Institutional waste is waste produced from institutions such as schools, hospitals, or prisons. These include waste not typically found in households but also hazardous wastes in some circumstances. Industrial waste is refuse produced by industries such as factories, foundries, or mills. These wastes include liquid, sludge, solid, and hazardous waste, but not domestic. Because both clarifications deal with hazardous waste,…

With concerns about climate change and global warming, governments have begun looking to set environmental standards to tackle this growing problem. In most cases, these governments have set up policies and targets to tackle greenhouse gas emissions; the province of Ontario is taking things a bit further. On May 18, 2016, the government of Ontario passed the Climate Change Mitigation and Low-Carbon Economy Act.  This act outlines Ontario’s plan to tackle climate change and lower emissions significantly by the middle of the century. What is…