Choose Zero Waste over incinerators
Target:
Metro Vancouver Board and Staff
Sponsored by:
Metro Vancouver adopted Zero Waste as a challenge but the Solid Waste Management Plan and their staff are focussing on burning the waste as their first priority (see where staff time and funding have gone to date) with plans to build up to 6 incinerators with costs of up to $3 billion. Zero Waste works towards waste elimination through holding producers responsible for their products, composting organics, social marketing to change behaviours and creating incentives to eliminate waste. Incineration (any form of waste to energy using municipal waste) is not Zero Waste*. Incineration risks our environmental, human and financial health. Tell Metro we want real zero waste* not incineration (or waste to energy).
*The Zero Waste International Alliance definition: Zero Waste is a goal that is both pragmatic and visionary, to guide people to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that may be a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.
*The Zero Waste International Alliance definition: Zero Waste is a goal that is both pragmatic and visionary, to guide people to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that may be a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.
Metro Vancouver adopted Zero Waste as a challenge but the Solid Waste Management Plan and their staff are focussing on burning the waste as their first priority (see where staff time and funding have gone to date) with plans to build up to 6 incinerators with costs of up to $3 billion. Zero Waste works towards waste elimination through holding producers responsible for their products, composting organics, social marketing to change behaviours and creating incentives to eliminate waste. Incineration (any form of waste to energy using municipal waste) is not Zero Waste*. Incineration risks our environmental, human and financial health. Tell Metro we want real zero waste* not incineration (or waste to energy).
*The Zero Waste International Alliance definition: Zero Waste is a goal that is both pragmatic and visionary, to guide people to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that may be a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.
*The Zero Waste International Alliance definition: Zero Waste is a goal that is both pragmatic and visionary, to guide people to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are resources for others to use. Zero Waste means designing and managing products and processes to reduce the volume and toxicity of waste and materials, conserve and recover all resources, and not burn or bury them. Implementing Zero Waste will eliminate all discharges to land, water or air that may be a threat to planetary, human, animal or plant health.
We the undersigned, do not support the development of mass burn waste incinerators (waste to energy) to process Metro's waste. They are a waste of energy, a waste of resources, a waste of money and a threat to public health and safety. We urge you to develop a true zero waste plan instead using the internationally accepted zero waste definition.
We signed the "Choose Zero Waste over incinerators" petition!
# 128:
8:55 am PDT, Apr 3,
Kelly Maron, Canada
We in the Fraser Valley can not afford any additional polutants to our already compromised airshed.
We in the Fraser Valley can not afford any additional polutants to our already compromised airshed.
# 127:
8:37 pm PDT, Mar 30,
Linda Gasser, Canada
Incineration -not safe, not sensible, not sustainable.
Incineration -not safe, not sensible, not sustainable.
# 126:
11:17 am PDT, Mar 20,
Hartmut Hoffmann, Germany
Incineration of waste is not a recovery of energy because 100 per cent of the energy for the production of the burnt goods is lost, absolutely lost!
Incineration of waste is not a recovery of energy because 100 per cent of the energy for the production of the burnt goods is lost, absolutely lost!
# 125:
11:27 am PDT, Mar 19,
R&T Ali, Canada
# 124:
6:15 am PDT, Mar 19,
Chris White, Canada
# 123:
8:20 pm PDT, Mar 18,
Anne Larracas, Philippines
# 122:
6:24 pm PDT, Mar 18,
Isis Van Loon, Canada
The best way to remove toxic waste from the environment is.... not to have any toxic waste to put in the environment in the first place.
The best way to remove toxic waste from the environment is.... not to have any toxic waste to put in the environment in the first place.
# 121:
5:15 pm PDT, Mar 18,
Louis Bertrand, Canada
Incinerators have been "sold" to gullible politicians as somehow "green" energy and a renewable resource "Gee we have all this garbage... What to do with it all?". Actually if you think about it longer than the average politician does, you'll notice that plastics are made from oil and (last time I checked) oil is depleting rapidly and is certainly not renewable.
Incinerators have been "sold" to gullible politicians as somehow "green" energy and a renewable resource "Gee we have all this garbage... What to do with it all?". Actually if you think about it longer than the average politician does, you'll notice that plastics are made from oil and (last time I checked) oil is depleting rapidly and is certainly not renewable.
# 119:
11:42 am PDT, Mar 18,
Jackson Lombardi, Colorado
# 118:
11:30 am PDT, Mar 18,
Wael Hmaidan, Lebanon
# 120:
9:59 am PDT, Mar 18,
Neil Tangri, California
# 117:
8:24 am PDT, Mar 18,
Kerry Meydam, Canada
MSW Incineration is as unsustainable in Metro Vancouver as it is in Durham Region, Ontario. The requirement to supply a continual and minimum waste load for an incinerator becomes a disincentive to the top priorities of waste management - reduction, reuse, recycling, repair and composting. Zero Waste is a strategy that avoids incinerators and eventually eliminates landfills. It's a no-brainer. Good luck Vancouver in stopping this travesty.
MSW Incineration is as unsustainable in Metro Vancouver as it is in Durham Region, Ontario. The requirement to supply a continual and minimum waste load for an incinerator becomes a disincentive to the top priorities of waste management - reduction, reuse, recycling, repair and composting. Zero Waste is a strategy that avoids incinerators and eventually eliminates landfills. It's a no-brainer. Good luck Vancouver in stopping this travesty.
# 116:
8:05 am PDT, Mar 18,
Shlomo Dowen, United Kingdom
# 115:
4:36 am PDT, Mar 18,
Eric Lombardi Eco-Cycle Inc., Colorado
The Zero Waste Path is on the right side of history. We all know now that resource conservation on a shrinking planet is a priority and that burning anything to make energy is the enemy of a stable climate. Go Vancouver, win the politics and show us the way!
The Zero Waste Path is on the right side of history. We all know now that resource conservation on a shrinking planet is a priority and that burning anything to make energy is the enemy of a stable climate. Go Vancouver, win the politics and show us the way!
# 114:
3:55 am PDT, Mar 18,
Bridget Farrell, Ireland
# 113:
3:54 am PDT, Mar 18,
Ma. Teresa Oliva, Philippines
# 112:
3:17 am PDT, Mar 18,
Ralph Ryder, United Kingdom
# 110:
1:11 am PDT, Mar 18,
L Fitzpatrick, Ireland
# 111:
11:11 pm PDT, Mar 17,
Name not displayed, United Arab Emirates
Please dump incinerator as it is against the basic principle of 3Rs, Sustainability etc. It wastes resources
Please dump incinerator as it is against the basic principle of 3Rs, Sustainability etc. It wastes resources
# 109:
7:11 am PDT, Mar 17,
Ollan Herr, Ireland
For a sustainable economy and a toxic free environment in accordance with article 5 of the Stockholm Convention
For a sustainable economy and a toxic free environment in accordance with article 5 of the Stockholm Convention
# 108:
3:21 am PDT, Mar 17,
Derry Chambers, Ireland
# 107:
2:43 am PDT, Mar 17,
Richard Auler, Ireland
Burning won't solve the problem, it only creates new, more dangerous ones. Try harder to implement the options mentioned by the previous signee.
Burning won't solve the problem, it only creates new, more dangerous ones. Try harder to implement the options mentioned by the previous signee.
# 106:
5:06 pm PDT, Mar 16,
Sean Cronin, Ireland
The latest EU directibve on waste relegates Incineration to the lowest level after all other waste prevention, reuse and recycling have been exhausted. Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) (nov 2008) established a clear treatment hierarchy stipulating waste prevention, reuse and recovery whenever possible in order to turn the disposal of waste into the last treatment option. I dont believe Vancouver has tried the alternatives to a sufficient level as yet and may be succumbing to the lazy way out.
The latest EU directibve on waste relegates Incineration to the lowest level after all other waste prevention, reuse and recycling have been exhausted. Waste Framework Directive (2008/98/EC) (nov 2008) established a clear treatment hierarchy stipulating waste prevention, reuse and recovery whenever possible in order to turn the disposal of waste into the last treatment option. I dont believe Vancouver has tried the alternatives to a sufficient level as yet and may be succumbing to the lazy way out.
# 105:
6:49 am PDT, Mar 16,
Mary Gifford, Alabama
# 104:
10:27 am PDT, Mar 14,
Lisa Penney, Canada
Prevent cancer by stopping incineration!!!
Prevent cancer by stopping incineration!!!
# 103:
1:29 pm PDT, Mar 10,
Name not displayed, Canada
# 102:
3:13 pm PST, Mar 4,
Bonita Poulin, Canada
# 101:
11:33 am PST, Mar 2,
Anne Maxwell, Canada
Burning waste doesn't make it disappear -- the atoms that made it just change their composition and remain in existence. We all end up breathing them; nobody knows what kind of an unidentified toxic soup we're breathing. Zero Waste is the only sensible way to deal with waste.
Burning waste doesn't make it disappear -- the atoms that made it just change their composition and remain in existence. We all end up breathing them; nobody knows what kind of an unidentified toxic soup we're breathing. Zero Waste is the only sensible way to deal with waste.
