Solid Waste Planning
Metro Vancouver is currently developing its next solid waste management plan. Zero Waste BC has a seat at the Public Technical Advisory Committee and participated in three working groups to develop ideas for Food and Organics, Constructions and Demolition waste and Plastics. Zero Waste BC has also conducted engagement to help develop the Vision and Guiding Principles and to generate ideas.
Metro Vancouver Waste to Energy Facility
We continue to support Metro Vancouver in choosing better alternatives than continuing with the aging Burnaby Incinerator. To this end, we engaged Dr Douw Steyn to review air quality standards for ambient air and also for emissions from incineration and cement kilns. His report shows that standards in BC should be tighter. Based on that, we submitted comments when Metro Vancouver asked the province to continue to allow emissions over the provincial requirements. We also replied to the CAO’s letter defending the facility. See our response here.
Metro Vancouver Waste Planning -an analysis of 2010-2020 data
We conducted an analysis of the best, current publicly available data from 2010 to 2020 in order to see what can be learned to inform the next solid waste plan. Spoiler alert: the results show Zero Waste solutions are effective, the most cost-effective and best for the climate. We presented to the Metro Vancouver Solid Waste Management Plan Independent Consultation and Engagement Panel December 1st, 2023. The presentation can be seen here. Our goal is to learn together about what is working and what the next steps can be. To that end, we are posting the spreadsheet used to calculate the data here so that others can test it out, share any corrected or new data, and share their learnings. Note that this spreadsheet will be different than the presentation data as we update it with revised numbers.
Other Feedback
Metro Vancouver’s Biennial Solid Waste Management Plan reports
Our joint feedback with Zero Waste Canada can be seen here (2020), here (2022) and here(2024). Many steps forward but still some significant challenges.
Waste-to-Energy OC Authorization (2021)
Feedback in collaboration with Zero Waste Canada: ZWBC – ZWC Waste-to-Energy OC Authorization 107051 comments copy
Metro Van Climate Discussion Paper
Metro Vancouver Climate discussion paper published the paper in Dec 2019. Our feedback in partnership with Zero Waste Canada: Feedback on Metro Vancouver’s Waste Management-Discussion paper to support Climate 2050 and the Clean Air Plan