Oct. 22 – Did you know that Canadians produce more than 31 million tonnes of waste annually?
A whopping 40 percent of that is generated at home.
It’s those numbers that have led to the creation of Waste Reduction Week in Canada.
“Waste Reduction Week is an opportunity for us to highlight the role we play in stewarding a healthy environment,” said Merissa Bokla, Supervisor, Waste Management. “It’s also a chance for us to have a conversation about what else we can do to reduce the amount of waste we send to the landfill, because we still have work to do.”
Norfolk County is offering its residents tips and ideas to help create a greener tomorrow:
- Extend the life of clothing by swapping, donating and/or purchasing gently used clothing. Also, repair clothes before buying new
- Switching from single-use plastic like grocery bags or water bottles to products that can be used again.
- Only buy what you need and compost leftover food waste. Norfolk County offers composters for $35.75 at Delhi Admin Building (183 Main Street), Langton Admin Building (22 Albert St, Langton), and the Material Recovery Facility (28 Grigg Drive, Simcoe).
- Extend the life of your material by repairing it, sharing it or trading it for something else. Help keep material from the landfill that is still in good working condition, try selling it or donating.
- Purchase refurbished instead of new, repair broken electronics such as a cracked cellphone screen, and recycle electronics instead of putting them into the landfill.
Waste Reduction Week also allows community members to recognize neighbours who go above and beyond. Do you know of a community, individual, or organization making positive changes in the waste industry by using reuse, refuse, repair in their business? Share their story via [email protected] or on social media using #WasteReductionWeek.
Looking for more ways to help? Visit wrwcanada.com. A host of information is available for residents online at norfolkcounty.ca/living/garbage-and-recycling/.
