Recycling is a big business. But you probably already knew that.

But, did you know that Big Business (with capital B’s) pays for 50% of your curbside blue box costs? (Well, really only around 44% because Big Business does Big Business things, but we’re not here to cause problems.)

I’m not trying to be hypocritical here. We’re a business. We sell things. And we profile all kinds of fantastic businesses doing things the right way. Small businesses, medium businesses, even really big businesses. Businesses are important and good.

But then there’s that "capital B” Big Business. For the most part, I reject the big-business-is-the-boogeyman myth, but then they go and say something like this in public:

Coca Cola tells us that people still want stuff in plastic bottles.

Now, Coke isn’t entirely wrong. People do value convenience and the portability and access that plastic bottles bring (think bottled water, for rural residents, for example). But, it’s 2020, and seeing that Coke is worth billions, they can definitely do better. They can find a solution that works for consumers and the environment, and still make some coin at the same time.

And here’s the other thing – Coke, along with large packaging producers like Loblaw and Johnson and Johnson, sit on the Board of the Canadian Stewardship Services Alliance, who look like they are about to take over control of Ontario’s Blue Box program without a whole lot of oversight. And that’s troubling.

GREENish promotes waste reduction. We’re pretty clear about that. We want a waste management system that works for all users, and incentivizes producers of packaging and other wastes to reduce before leaning so heavily on recycling.

Producers like Coke should have direction and influence over how waste is managed if they are footing the bill (well, a pretty small portion of the overall bill). But, unfettered control will not lead to a better system for the residents of Ontario.

Ontario’s Blue Box system should be accessible to all residents, at work, home and play. It should be inclusive of all packaging, not just the stuff that’s easy for producers to recycle. And producers should be required to surpass high recovery and recycling targets: 80, 90, 95% and higher. Municipalities shouldn’t be left footing the bill for the hard-to-recycle stuff collected from the hard-to-get-to places.

You can help with this. Let your local representative know that strong oversight is a vital component of environmental regulation and sustainability, including here at home with Ontario’s Blue Box system.

Reach out if you have comments, questions, or would like advice on who you can contact about this issue. We’re here to help.

-SH

Who Watches the Garbage Makers?