Managing garbage is not sexy. You probably won’t get elected for having the best waste management strategy. The reality is that we cannot indefinitely use the taxpayers’ money to support a residual waste management plan that is not performing especially at times when we need to increase budgets for proper social services, affordable lodging and health services. You won’t find a better opportunity for a circular economy in the Pontiac. It is around $33,000 a week in 2023 to the MRC for the transportation of residual waste and landfill fees at the Lachute facility. Fifty per cent of that amount could be invested here in the Pontiac with a strong and dynamic plan to treat our waste.
Based on THE EQUITY’s analysis in Overview of MRC’s Pontiac residual waste management plan in this week’s paper, it is clear we should take waste management far more seriously than we do now. The objective of data analysis is not to distribute blame but to give an opportunity to have a full picture of a situation, to identify weaknesses, to recognize the good performers, to share best practices and to achieve very good results. Let’s be straightforward, the objectives of the MRC’s 2016-2020 Residual Waste Management Plan were laudable but without teeth. The proposed measures were vague and not very measurable with little monitoring or follow-up in place.
Of course, there was the pandemic, the closure of the dry material processing centre and the flooding events. Some external factors like a higher level of personal consumption and the poorer quality of the products need also to be taken into account. When comparing with data for the period 2014-2020, there was an 18 per cent increase in residential waste and total recycling was four per cent lower in 2021 when compared to 2013. Regardless, it is far more productive to move forward and learn. At the end of the day, we all agree that we can definitely do better.
Now we need the MRC leadership team and elected representatives to step up to the plate. We need proactive actions and support for all municipalities to be up to standards. Each citizen, business and institution need to know how they can contribute, what they have to do and where to bring their waste. It is time for our local leaders both on the economic development and the environment front to work together and show dynamism to innovate and find durable solutions while creating opportunities within Pontiac.
Let’s update the MRC website so our citizens have the right information on everything regarding the better management of their waste with a click on the main page. We need to make lemonade out of lemons. It is incomprehensible that there are no more joint actions between the municipalities of the MRC for the collection, transportation and processing of residual waste.
The next Residual Waste Management Plan will emphasize establishing composting programs which are practically absent today. This is a very good idea. Why are we not developing a facility in the Pontiac that would meet modern standards? It is estimated that 44 per cent of residential waste is compostable. This compostable waste represents a possible yearly saving of nearly $750,000 in landfill costs. It seems that this amount is more than sufficient to operate a composting centre. This mandate could be given to a non-profit organization. Let’s be creative, let’s be the leaders. The composting program needs to be efficient, comprehensive and feasible while bringing value to a new circular economy and for the reduction of greenhouse emissions.
Once the MRC team and municipalities have improved the recycling ratio, once we have in place efficient handling of commercial, institutional and construction waste, once we innovate with a composting collection strategy as well as creating dropping points for all residual waste with recycling value; then we could start talking about implementing a multi-million modern facility to burn 250,000 metric tons of waste coming from the entire Gatineau/Ottawa agglomeration that some leaders are proposing for the Pontiac.
Pierre Cyr
