Dear Metro Vancouver Board,
I’m writing in response to the news that Metro Vancouver’s board is re-considering its role on collaboration on Zero Waste initiatives this Friday, and am urging you to continue funding this important work.
Metro Vancouver plays a key role in advancing zero waste initiatives. Its behaviour change campaigns not only reduce waste in Metro Vancouver but also influence the province and nation as a whole. The National Zero Waste Council has conducted a lot of good research but will be an even stronger advocate for change with its shift to focus on what local governments need. The 2023 Zero Waste Conference was the most impactful due to the inclusion of action-oriented workshops. These programs are not scope creep but a rational response to what is needed to prevent escalating solid waste volumes. Much of what influences waste volumes is beyond the direct control of Metro Vancouver so driving policy change and collective action is critical to decrease waste. And when waste is decreased, costs of managing solid waste are decreased.
Metro Vancouver is in the midst of a solid waste management planning process and just consulted the public for ideas and suggestions on how best to do this. No one asked for Metro Vancouver to cut the funding for key programs, instead they asked for more ambitious programs to engage each of the different sectors.
Zero Waste BC’s analysis of the previous solid waste management plan showed that for the relatively small amount of money spent on zero waste actions, it had an outsized impact with almost two incinerators worth of waste avoided and significant savings. I agree that Metro Vancouver should look for savings in solid waste and that these can come from phasing out the incinerator (which is the most expensive, most polluting and most GHG-intense way of managing waste). This incinerator is at the end of its useful life and to keep it going will incur millions of dollars of capital costs and even more (another $100 million) if it were to actually meet provincial air quality standards, which it currently does not.
Because of this, on February 21st, I’m urging you to support the ongoing inclusion of zero waste collaborative actions in the budget. And on February 28th, I’m urging you to vote to maintain Zero Waste, Air Quality and Climate Action as essential services for our region. Investments in these areas save money and are essential to protect environmental and human health.
Sincerely,
