Description
The circular economy means reusing, sharing, repairing, refurbishing, remanufacturing and recycling to create closed-loop systems for resources. This practice minimizes the use of resource inputs and the creation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions (e.g. the emissions associated with the manufacturing, transportation and breakdown of the product). Eliminating single use plastics is a particular priority, and the Zero Waste Challenge is a program that has been developed to help raise awareness of the challenge.
This action will be led by community capacity builders such as Reep Green Solutions, Sustainable Waterloo Region, and Area Municipalities and the Region of Waterloo. Please see below for the most recent publicly available updates.
REGION OF WATERLOO
A new long-term waste management strategy is currently underway (See Action 4.1.1).
TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH
The Township of Woolwich has added TerraCycle recycling bins to the Woolwich Community Center in order to collect hard to recycle items and educate residents about the circular economy. There are plans to add more of these bins to other community centers throughout the Township.
TOWNSHIP OF WELLESLEY
The Township has partnered with Recycle My Electronics to give residents an opportunity to recycle any unused household electronics while on site for our tree giveaway. Any electronics that have a cord, battery or plug are accepted free of charge. This happens twice a year on back-to-back Saturdays.
REEP GREEN SOLUTIONS
Reep’s annual Zero Waste Challenge brings attention to the waste going to landfill and how to reduce it. The Challenge includes:
- Social media messages
- Emails with inspiring resources and stories
- Webinars and mini-workshops
- Zero Waste 101, a collection of blogs on topics such as Zero Waste Halloween, holiday season, parenthood, pets, apartments, office as well as one about the circular economy.
DOWNTOWN KITCHENER WASTE DIVERSION PILOT
As mentioned in the ClimateActionWR Our Progress, Our Path 2020 report, the Downtown Kitchener BIA piloted a waste diversion program with restaurants in 2019 with support from Sustainable Waterloo Region. It was the first of its kind in Ontario and perhaps Canada! This pilot involved the Working Center’s Job cafe collecting organic waste generated by these businesses and Sustainable Waterloo Region providing the ongoing training and waste audits. This also created job opportunities for at-risk populations. The organic waste was then transferred by RTC Bins to Bio-En Power Inc.’s processing plant in Elmira and converted into electricity through anaerobic digestion. Participants in the BIA’s pilot project included Square, Starbucks, THEMUSEUM, Terminal, Smile io, La Cucina, McCabe’s, Pure JBK, Bobby O’Brien’s, Matter of Taste, Legacy Greens, Mark’s Caribbean Kitchen, Living Fresh, Full Circle Foods, Grand Trunk Saloon/ Grand Surf Lounge, and Café Pyrus. The project was later put on hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
