The City was recognized last Thursday evening by The Recycling Council of Ontario (RCO) for its waste diversion achievements and communications efforts in 2012.
The RCO’s annual Ontario Waste Minimization Awards recognizes exceptional results in waste reduction and recycling among municipalities and regional governments.
Out of 11 submissions, the City received the highest score and was awarded gold in the combined category of diversion achievement and communication and promotion in recognition of its excellence and commitment to a sustainable environment.
“This award shines a spotlight on Guelph’s dedication to sustainable waste diversion,” said Mayor Farbridge. “Guelphites’ commitment to three-stream sorting and the new carts are at the heart of our efforts to give waste a new life by keeping organics and recyclables out of the landfill.”
The City estimates it diverted 13,800 tonnes of organic waste and 15,800 tonnes of recyclables from going to landfill in 2012. This means the average Guelph resident diverts more than twice as much waste from landfill than the average Ontario resident annually.
The City’s, and all other Ontario municipalities’, 2012 diversion figures are undergoing third-party validation from Waste Diversion Ontario through the annual data call—scheduled to be reported later this fall.
The award will be formally presented to Guelph City Council on Monday, November 4, 2013.
About the RCO
The RCO is a not-for-profit membership-based organization involved in policy, education, and project work around the issues of consumption, waste generation, reduction and diversion, and recycling.
RCO believes that society must minimize its impact on the environment by eliminating waste. Its mission is to inform and educate all members of society about the generation of waste, the avoidance of waste, the more efficient use of resources and the benefits and/or consequences of these activities.