City recognizes Waste Reduction Week

The City of Orillia is recognizing Waste Reduction Week in Canada from Oct. 21-27, 2013.

“The City of Orillia is committed to conserving resources, protecting the environment, and educating the community on waste reduction,” said Mayor Angelo Orsi. “Waste Reduction Week provides us an opportunity to thank our residents for their continued efforts in waste reduction and encourage them to continue the good work.”

Waste Reduction Week aims to inform and engage Canadians about the environmental and social ramifications of wasteful practices. It strives to educate, engage and empower Canadians to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. According to the latest figures, Canadians are creating 1,031 kg of waste per person each year. More than 75 per cent of this waste is piling up in landfills all over the country.

The City’s Waste Management Advisory Committee (WMAC) is encouraging all Orillians to keep doing their part when it comes to the 3Rs: reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Orillia is a leader in waste reduction and WMAC is committed to helping our citizens to relearn and rethink waste,” said WMAC Chair, Brian Mawdsley.

In 2012, the City was honoured with a Platinum Waste Minimization Award by the Recycling Council of Ontario. Awards are based on efforts to divert waste from landfill and incineration. 

The City also had the highest residential waste diversion rate in Ontario in 2010 as reported by Waste Diversion Ontario. This was largely due to the increased use of the green bin and recycling programs in Orillia.

WMAC was established to advise City Council about the City’s landfill and solid waste management issues. One of the committee’s primary roles is to keep Orillians informed about the benefits of the 3Rs and composting.

The City of Orillia is a city of 30,586 people in the heart of Central Ontario on the shores of Lake Couchiching and Lake Simcoe. Visit our website at orillia.ca. 

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Brian Mawdsley
Chair
Waste Management Advisory Committee
705-345-4747

Jennifer Ruff
Manager of Communications
City of Orillia
705-325-8929
705-238-9209 (cell)
jruff@orillia.ca