Recent highlights from the AMRC home page

Changes to AMRC board
The AMRC has added the following municipal reps to its board following the departure of Vice-Chair Joe Hall to CSR, Finance Chair Clayton Sampson (to Stewardship Ontario) and Organics Chair Jen Turnbull (to the MOE).
The new AMRC vice-chair and HHW Committee Chair is Sherry Arcaro of the County of Peterborough. Marvin Tucker of Quinte Waste Solutions joins the board as Organics Committee Chair. Grace McLenaghan of the Region of Peel joins the board as Finance Committee Chair. Sue Campbell (OVWRC) joins the board as a member-at-large.
They join Mike Birett (York Region), Chair, Phil Zigby (City of Guelph) Markets, Operations & Contracts Committee Chair, Kim Kidd Kitagawa (Waterloo Region) Policy & Programs Committee Chair, and members at large Anne Boyd (London), Vanessa DeGiacomo (Thunder Bay) and Rosanne Fritzsche (Richmond Hill).

June 12
E-waste program called for Ontario Minister of the Environment
More here

The Minister's letter to WDO

June 12
Waste management master plan policy statement posted on EBR (010-0420)
More here

June 11
MHSW Diversion Program Plan posted on EBR (010-0558)
More here

FCM Award for Hamilton
The City of Hamilton has won a Sustainable Community Award for its Green Cart program. Presented at the Federation of Canadian Municipalities Annual Conference in Calgary, June 2, the awards recognize projects that demonstrate environmental excellence and innovation in service delivery.
More here

Draft Final Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) Program Plan approved by WDO, now on its way to the minister for approval
Link to the SO website

AMO/AMRC looking for feedback on WDA changes and revised EPR discussion papers
Link to the AMO website

WEEE program letter "Coming shortly"
Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten told the Waste Diversion Ontario annual general meeting in Toronto April 19 that a letter requesting a electronics stewardship program is "coming shotly".

Birett heads AMRC for another year
The Association of Municipal Recycling Coordinators (AMRC) has confirmed its new board of directors for the coming year. Mike Birett of York Region remains Chair of the Association, while Joe Hall of the Ottawa Valley Waste Recovery Centre continues as Vice-Chair. Jen Turnbull of the City of Guelph will serve as Treasurer and Kim Kidd Kitagawa of Waterloo Region as Secretary. The remaining Board members include Clayton Sampson (County of Oxford), Anne Boyd (City of London), Rosanne Fritzsche (Town of Richmond Hill), Phil Zigby (City of Guelph), Sherry Arcaro (County of Peterborough) and Vanessa DeGiacomo (City of Thunder Bay).
“I look forward to continuing in my role as Chair again this year”, noted Birett. “2007 will be a defining year for the waste management industry in Ontario
Full news release


Congratulations to York Region, County of Peterborough, City of Peterborough, City of Hamilton, Halton Region, Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority and the Region of Waterloo - all 2006 Promotion and Education Awards winners! Details here

LCBO funding to continue for two more years
Ontario Environment Minister Laurel Broten announced February 16 that the annual $5 million LCBO contribution to blue box costs will continue for another two years in recognition that there will still be ongoing costs from wine and liquor containers appearing in curbside recycling programs.
The minister was speaking at the AMRC Spring Workshop at Hockley Valley Resort. We'll have more details when we get them.



Comments sought on draft AMO/AMRC Discussion Paper on Stengthening Extended Producer Responsibilities for Ontario's Blue Box
Link to AMO Alert and report link

Proceedings from our October 4 Co-operative Contract Design Workshop with OWMA are now available for download.
See Conference and Workshop Proceedings

Sign up now for the AMRC/Composting Council "Grow on" workshop April 4/5 - program now available
See Events


Announcing! - 2006 Promotion & Educations Awards - call for entries Click here

Toronto to buy Greenlane Landfill
Toronto council approved the purchase of the Greenlane Environmental Landfill near St. Thomas, Tuesday, the September 20 Toronto Star reports.. City officials have been directed to negotiate the final terms of the sale within 90 days. The provincial government recently granted a 20-hectare expansion to the landfill site, which opened in 1978, that will add 10 million tonnes of dumping capacity through its scheduled closure in 2018. According to the Star, the city doesn't expect to ship garbage to Green Lane until 2010, when its current agreements to ship trash to Michigan expire.

Deposits for LCBO!
Premier Dalton McGuinty announced Sunday, September 10 that the LCBO will introduce deposits on all wine and liquor containers in February. Empties will be returned to the Beer Store. Deposit levels will parallel other provinces (5 cents to 40 cents). We'll post more details as we get them.

Ontario municipalities agree to stop exporting waste to Michigan by 2010
Link to MOE news release

IC&I Sector
Ontario is enforcing IC&I 3Rs Regs
Ontario's IC&I sector has come under increased scrutiny as the Province focuses on the reduction of waste volume destined for disposal in the state of Michigan.
If you are getting calls from the IC&I sector check out our new IC&I page to see what we have availalble to help you answer those calls.
July 19
New regs posted on the EBR for recycling, waste fuels and emerging waste technologies
Link to the EBR


July 11 - Draft AMO/AMRC paper on Improving the Efficiency of the Blue Box Program
See Policy Papers

June 9 - HHW Reg posted on EBR Registry
EBR posting
MOE press release
The draft HHW regulation
Link to the EBR


June 6, 2006
Broten announces Environmental Assessment reform Link to the Ministry website


Best Practices consultations
After a full house in Ottawa, June 2, and a strong turn-out in Sudbury, June 27, the AMRC best practices consultation sessions continue in the fall in Toronto, September 7 and in London, September 29.
See Events
Best Practices web page

May 30 2006 - AMO/AMRC issues draft position paper on HHW
See Policy Papers page

Now available: Ontario HHW Baseline Study 2005 - programs and operations (AMRC/Product Care)
See Publications


HHW to be designated in Ontario, oil plan cancelled and tire plan deferred
Download the April 20 speech by Environment Minister Laurel Broten to the WDO annual general meeting.

AMRC 2005 Promotion & Education Awards winners click here

AMRC User Pay Guide now available see Publications

2005 and 2006 municipal funding payments listed on WDO website. Link to WDO website

JUNE 2005: Laurel Broten is Ontario’s new environment minister. Meet the minister

For more information, call the AMRC at (519) 823-1990

December 22, 2005 - AMO releases waste management strategy paper
Download here