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Indicator Type: Environmental Pressure
This indicator shows the per capita amount of solid waste disposed in municipal landfills. It is based upon a combination of actual and estimated data from Alberta landfills on annual quantities of waste disposal.
This indicator includes residential waste, construction and demolition waste, and industrial, commercial, and institutional waste disposed in municipal landfills.
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Trend: Increasing in recent years
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What does the indicator show?
This indicator shows the progress being made towards the target of reducing the amount of material sent to landfills annually to 500 kilograms per capita by the year 2010. Since 1988, there has been an overall improvement, but more recently, the disposal rate is increasing. The 2006 disposal rate was 818 kg/capita. This recent trend indicates that the target will not be achieved without further initiatives in waste diversion. Per capita disposal rates have been increasing in recent years, and with a growing population, total waste volumes going into landfills are increasing.
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Why is this indicator important?
If not properly managed, waste materials can pose a hazard to human health and the environment. Burying the waste in carefully designed landfills is the most common way of safely dealing with this material. Nevertheless, there are still many economic, social and environmental costs. These costs will continue to increase as Alberta’s population and economy grows and more waste is generated. It is in everyone’s best interest to reduce the amount of waste requiring disposal.
This indicator is linked to keeping our land clean and productive by reducing the requirement for more or bigger landfill facilities through waste diversion, recycling and waste reduction activities.
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What actions are being taken?
Alberta has a target of reducing the amount of material sent to landfills annually to 500 kilograms per capita by the year 2010. Policy and strategies for waste reduction are currently being developed to continue to move towards the target, although it appears that this target date will not be met and may have to be extended. A short-term target of 770 kilograms per capita has recently been established for 2006-07.
Alberta has many recycling initiatives that greatly reduce the volume of materials that need to be landfilled. Examples include recycling programs for scrap tires, beverage containers, used oil materials, and waste electronics. Many Alberta communities have recycling facilities that divert thousands of tonnes of materials from the landfill. A number of aggressive diversion measures, targeting specific waste streams, are in development.
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Links to additional information
Alberta's Municipal Waste Action Plan: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/waste/aow/factsheets/Other/WAP_Aug24final.pdf
Waste Management in Alberta - Alberta Environment: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/waste/index.html
Focus On: Waste Reduction: http://environment.gov.ab.ca/info/library/7394.pdf
Alberta's "Waste Not" Program: http://www3.gov.ab.ca/env/waste/wastenot/index.html
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Feedback
E-mail the SOE Coordinator: SOE.Coordinator@gov.ab.ca or complete this short on-line questionnaire to provide your feedback: http://www.zoomerang.com/
survey.zgi?p=WEB224DW6P3E2K.
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