Waste Management Advisory Committee (WMAC)

The Waste Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) is governed by Chapter 120 of the City of Orillia Municipal Code to satisfy Condition 27 of the City's Certificate of Approval from the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for the Waste Diversion Site (landfill).

The purpose of the Waste Management Advisory Committee is to keep residents up to date about the 3 Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle), and to advise City Council about solid waste management issues and improving the operation and management of the waste diversion site. The Committee is also involved in the promotion of waste reduction through a variety of different initiatives, including media relations, weekly newspaper tips, information materials, displays and events, and public meetings. 

WMAC has developed a Backyard Composting Brochure.  (Copies are available at the Waste Diversion Site and the Orillia City Centre.)

Membership: WMAC consists of nine members: eight citizens and one Council member

Third Tuesday of the month at 4:15 PM at the Orillia City Centre.

Agendas and Minutes - visit the City's Document Centre - Waste Management Advisory Committee

A 5-year Waste Minimization Plan or WMP for short is a document that describes potential ways the City can reduce waste and increase waste diversion from its landfill site over the next five years.  It sets out a number of recommendations to help the City meet its diversion goals and milestones over the next 5 years.

Read the 2021 Waste Minimization Plan

The Plan is required as a condition of operating the landfill site. A plan provides a focused approach to managing our waste for the next 5 years. We’ve accomplished great things with previous plans, and it’s time to once again look to the future.

Now, more than ever, we need to consider:

• Population growth
• More people means more waste to manage
• Changes to regulations
• Climate change
• Waste as a resource
• Circular Economy

Orillia is also committed to taking action to improve the City’s environmental sustainability and becoming a leading municipality in environmental initiatives that will reduce Orillia’s environmental footprint. 

This is outlined in the City’s Strategic Plan under the theme of “Healthy Environment:  Commitment to environmental sustainability by excelling on items such as waste management, greenery and water management practices.”  

Orillia developed its first Waste Minimization Plan in 1992 and has updated the plan every five years since 2006.  Under these prior plans, the City has expanded its recycling programs, initiated a green bin collection program and every other week garbage collection, and most recently, the City approved a clear garbage bag program.   

Over the years the City has increased its waste diversion rate from 52% in 2006 to approximately 64% in 2020. These efforts have extended the life of the City’s landfill, which presently sits at approximately 45 years at the current fill rates. 

The WMP provides an ambitious program of waste minimization for Orillia for the upcoming 5 years following the waste management hierarchy including waste reduction, reuse, and recycling.  The overall purpose of a WMP is to minimize waste disposal at the landfill and to improve diversion and recycling programs. The plan also addresses Condition 11.2 of the landfill’s Environmental Compliance Approval (ECA).  

Please see the 2021 Waste Minimization Plan.

You may also wish to review the Solid Waste Management Annual Report.

Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR is an environmental protection strategy to reach an environmental objective of a decreased total environmental impact of a product, by making the manufacturer of the product responsible for the entire life-cycle of the product and especially for the take-back, recycling and final disposal of that product (including the packaging of that product).

In Ontario, EPR is being used to make companies doing business in Ontario fully financially and operationally responsible for the environmental impact of the products and packaging they produce or import into Ontario.  Under approved EPR programs, companies will need to arrange collection systems for designated products and manage the end of life recycling or disposal of these products. Currently, tires, electronics, batteries, household hazardous waste and blue box paper and packaging are designated materials. Many of these products are gradually transitioning to full EPR.

Details about EPR and the consultations being held on its development are found at the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority's website.