Toronto, July 27, 2010 - In what may be a
classic tale of ensuring the baby is not thrown out with the
bathwater, Ontario's Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller has
waded into the on going debate about the imposition and sudden
withdrawal of 'eco-fees' for the disposal of household hazardous
wastes.
Ontario's program for managing hazardous waste is an important
step in the right direction and should not be scrapped, said
Commissioner Miller in a Special Report, released today. The report
notes, however, that the program is not perfect, and offers
recommendations for its improvement.
On July 1st Ontario began collecting an Eco fee on thousands of
hazardous consumer products under the Municipal Hazardous or
Special Waste Program. No one seemed to understand what the
fee was for or how it worked. Consumers balked at yet another
charge that looked like a tax. Retailers revolted.
Ontario environment Minister, John Garretson, wrote a scathing
letter to Gemma Zecchini, head of Stewardship Ontario, on
July 13. On July 20, Garretsen announced that he had
suspended the fees on most hazardous consumer products for 90
days.
Miller fears the controversy and confusion over the
implementation of the second phase of the hazardous waste
management program, particularly the unfortunate decision by some
retailers to invent the concept of "eco fees", could jeopardize the
future of this necessary program.
His report aims to provide clarity about the program and refocus
the discussion back on the core issue: how to manage - and finance
the management of - hazardous wastes.
"While not perfect, the hazardous waste program is definitely a
step in the right direction. It will keep more hazardous materials
out of our environment and will take the cost of managing these
wastes off the taxpayer and put it where it belongs: on the
manufacturers of the hazardous waste products," said Miller.
Miller's report, called "Getting it Right, Paying for the
Management of Household Hazardous Wastes," was actually planned as
part of his annual report but he decided to release it now because
of the government's move to revamp the recycling plan in three
months.
Despite the Commissioner's support for the program, his report
identifies some necessary areas for improvement and provides two
key recommendations.
"Greener products" should have lower
fees.
"A critical problem with the program is there's no incentive for
manufacturers to make their products greener since they are all
charged the same 'steward fee' regardless of how environmentally
friendly their products are," Miller continued. "Greener products
should have lower fees. This would encourage competition between
companies, which should result in less toxic and more recyclable
products, and keep the program costs in check."
"Another problem with Ontario's program is that manufacturers
only pay for the management of wastes collected through the
program, and not for wastes going to landfill. Because Stewardship
Ontario aims to collect only 42% of the available hazardous waste
in the program's first year, taxpayers will still be footing the
bill for managing more than half of Ontario's hazardous waste."
Responding to the report Stewardship Ontario's Gemma Zecchini
issues a statement thankingCommissioner Gord Miller for his
"thought-provoking report."
"Stewardship Ontario is committed to playing its role in
enhancing Ontario's environment and any advice or support,
particularly from someone with Mr. Miller's background and
expertise, will be taken very seriously," she said.
"Over the next few weeks, we will be studying Mr. Miller's
report, and consulting with our stakeholders, and will make any
changes that will improve our organization, our program and
Ontario's natural environment," she added.
Click here to download the report.