Zero Waste is an ambitious goal that tackles the root
causes of waste and broadens responsibility for solutions.
What is Zero Waste?
Zero Waste is a national movement concerned with moving towards a sustainable society that views waste as a resource. Zero Waste focuses on reducing Markham's environmental footprint by minimizing the amount of waste that must be landfilled through reduction, reuse, recycling, product redesign, composting and other actions.
Zero Waste is:
- A system that prevents waste from being created in the first place
- Only purchasing items that can be re-used, recycled or composted
- An idea that industry will be responsible for the re-use and recycling of its own by-products, as well as the disposal of minimal amounts of trash - which should be as close to zero as possible
- Maximizing recycling, minimizing waste, reducing consumption and ensuring that products are made to be reused, repaired, recycled or composted back into nature or the marketplace
What does Zero Waste mean to me?
In the last one thousand years, there has been a ten-fold rise in product waste (packaging and old products) due to over consumption and excessive production of one time use convenient, disposable items. At the expense of our environment, in most cases it has become cheaper to purchase new items rather than to repair used items. The Zero Waste approach aims to reverse this.
What is Markham doing?
In 2008, Markham Council adopted ‘Zero Waste’ as a sustainable project to change the municipality from waste managers to a resource management organization. Zero Waste at the municipal level challenges unsustainable purchasing policies, poor packaging design and inefficiency. Zero Waste attempts to broaden responsibility for solutions that would improve the effectiveness of our municipal investments.
- Recognizes that waste is not inevitable
- Believes that discarded materials are potentially valuable resources
- Maximizes recycling and composting
Markham is one of several forward looking local governments in Canada and around the world to move beyond recycling and adopt a Zero Waste approach to eliminating waste. Markham has received the Peter J. Marshall Award for its Zero Waste initiatives.
Zero Waste at Markham Facilities
In 2006, Markham began the journey towards Zero Waste in their buildings. Starting with the Markham Civic Centre – a workplace to 500 staff, and houses a restaurant, a daycare centre, and hosts many local events and activities, became the first Zero Waste municipal facility in Ontario - recycling 96.5% of its waste from landfill.
How to get to Zero Waste
Markham staff started on their mission to reach Zero Waste at the Markham Civic Centre by taking a close look at the garbage disposed of in the building. A waste audit indicated that very little of the garbage going for disposal was really ‘garbage’. The bulk of garbage consisted of recyclables and non-recyclable packaging such as polystyrene and plastic bags. Internal audits also revealed that the large dumpster in the basement of the facility was filled with things that shouldn’t have been there – wooden pallets, diapers from the on-site daycare, cardboard, signs, food scraps, paper and electronics. The waste trail led upstairs, where virtually every employee had a personal garbage can at their desk which was emptied nightly.
Transforming Food Services
The move to Zero Waste is a process of change, collaboration and partnership. To achieve Zero Waste, Markham's Waste Management Department partnered with Markham's Asset Management Division and Purchasing Department to implement the necessary changes.
The transformation to Zero Waste meant that every policy, contract, purchasing decision and operating procedure had to be reviewed for compliance. Food service operations were a logical place to start, since the Civic Centre has a large cafeteria/restaurant and is the site for many public events – including weddings.
Effective July 2008, the Markham’s restaurant had to conform to Markham's Zero Waste Policy and all polystyrene products – including plastic utensils and clamshell containers – were banned in favour of reusable plates, cups, and utensils. The policy applies to any caterer providing food services directly or indirectly to Markham. All meetings at the Civic Centre are now Zero Waste. External caterers are required to conform to the Markham’s Zero Waste Policy. The key changes targeted: coffee services, take-out containers, condiments, and aggressive composting of all food scraps.
Workstations and Internal Recycling Program
The internal recycling system was fully revamped to include organics and fully commingled recycling collection. A key operational and behavioral change was to remove all workstation garbage cans. Over 500 containers were removed and replaced with small blue boxes. Recycling Centres were established throughout the facility and staff is responsible for separating their recyclables and organics.
All new Recycling Centres were colour coded with proper labels – blue for recycling, green for organics and black for garbage. The recycling and organics containers are larger and the garbage cans smaller, which reinforced the message that more materials are recyclable and compostable than they are garbage.
Zero Waste Recycling Centre at the Markham Village Library
All of the washrooms became Zero Waste by making the garbage receptacles for the collection of organics only. The paper towels are compostable in the Green Bin program.
The reduction in garbage generated at the Civic Centre was immediate. The dumpster was permanently removed and replaced with 10 locked tote carts. All departmental garbage has to be approved by the custodians or the bin remains locked. Waste is a sign of inefficiency. Whenever waste is reduced, so are costs.
Before Zero Waste After Zero Waste
40 Yard Dumpster emptied weekly 10 locked carts emptied monthly
Many waste management professionals and facility managers will argue that Zero Waste is impossible; but Markham is committed to moving from concept to reality and demonstrating it can be achieved in a large organization. The transformation of the Civic Centre is just the first example of how Zero Waste can be successful.
How can we Help?
Markham plans to continue on the road to Zero Waste by making all Markham buildings Zero Waste facilities. Markham is committed to setting an example for our residents through our own operations and transferring our expertise to assist other governments, businesses and local schools to adopt sustainable waste management practices.
What can you do?
Our challenge is to reduce our footprint on the planet, to reduce the amount of waste we create, and to reduce the amount of energy that we use.
- Reduce energy use (i.e. by reducing the number of trips), by increasing the efficiency of our energy use (i.e. using more efficient modes of transportation such as walking, biking, public transport or hybrid electric car, carpooling), and by wasting less energy (i.e. by turning off our lights when we don't need them and not idling you car).
- Consider buying environmentally friendly gifts and consider how you wrap them (i.e. use re-useable bags, old comics, newsprint).
- When making purchasing decisions, choose items with reduced/recyclable packaging, and buy things that incorporate recycled materials, such as toilet and tissue paper made from post consumer waste.
- Keep a supply of green bags in your trunk for shopping and carrying groceries.
- Use compostable bags to line your kitchen catcher.
- Place a "No Junk Mail" sticker in your mailbox.
- Stop buying bottled water. Use a stainless steel re-useable container and fill with tap water.
- Recycle everything you can in the blue box and take additional recyclables like scrap metal, tires and polystyrene to a Recycling Depot.
- Use your Green Bin and backyard composter.
- Replace regular light bulbs with energy saving ones.
- Wash your clothes in cold water. Hang them to dry instead of using a dryer.
- Purchase energy saving appliances.
- Drop off hazardous materials at the Household Hazardous Waste Depot.
- Only purchase things you need or items that can be repaired rather than used only once and thrown away.
- Turn electronic items like computers off when not in use.
- Use copy paper made from 35% or more post consumer waste. Default your printer so that all photocopies use both sides of the page. Don't print pages you don't need.
- Use email instead of post mail where possible.
- Recycle at work, just like you would at home.
- For staff meetings, gatherings and parties, use only paper cups and plates that can be recycled if you cannot use re-useable ones.
- When making purchasing decisions, seek suppliers who have adopted sustainable production.
- Ensure that all beverage containers are recyclable in your office recycling program. If not, make a switch to products that are.
- Have a 'no trash rule' in your cafeteria. Everything that can be bought or sold must be reusable or recyclable in your office program.
Out and About:
- Avoid using air conditioning in your car (it can add 10% to fuel use).
- Plan ahead - bike, walk or use public transit. Car pool or drive a hybrid electric car.
- Purchase local produce when possible.
- If you cannot find a recycling bin for your litter, keep it with you until you get home. Ask store owners to recycle.
- Challenge those you see littering.
- Use Zero Waste receptacles at Markham organized special Events.
Zero Waste Special Events
Markham is the home to fabulous festivals and events. In fact, there are more than 400 public events held in Markham each year: shows, sporting events, conferences, fairs and festivals.
At each one, hundreds or thousands of people gather to enjoy themselves, but in doing so they generate thousands of tonnes of waste in a very short period of time – empty bottles, used paper plates, plastic cutlery and glasses, packaging, unwanted food and drink, waste water, cartons and plastic bags.
In 2008, Markham Council committed to implementing Zero Waste at its special events. All Markham organized events have to conform to Markham’s Zero Waste Policy and all polystyrene products – including plastic utensils and clamshell containers – were banned in favour of reusable plates, cups, and utensils.
Benefits of Special Event Recycling
The benefits of recycling at special events are numerous, both for the event directly and for the community. Recycling at special events:
- Reduces the amount of materials that are shipped to landfill
- Reduces the cost of the event by diverting recyclable materials from trash dumpsters
- Increases environmental awareness and understanding of recycling and shows visitors that Markham is a forward thinking community, encouraging future visitors and events
The best way to avoid having waste to dispose of is for vendors to ensure that the packaging that is used at the event is reusable, recyclable or organic. For example, instead of using typical wasteful packaging vendors can use alternatives that can be recycled.
- Styrofoam cups and plates
- Plastic cutlery (forks, spoons, knives)
- Uneaten food
- Condiment packets – ketchup, mustard, vinegar
Alternatives to Waste
- Paper cups and plates - Green Bin
- Biodegradable (i.e. made of corn starch) cutlery – Green Bin
- Drink Containers (cans, plastic bottles, glass, tetra pack, coffee cups, beer cans) – Blue Box or use refillable container
- Paper (newspapers, programmes) – Blue Box
- Cardboard boxes – Blue Box