Municipal Solid Waste and the Environment

After employing the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle – there are often still residual materials left over requiring treatment or disposal. At this point, it is also important to minimize the human health and environmental effects by managing wastes in an environmentally sound manner. In Canada, collection, diversion (recycling and composting) and disposal operations are the responsibility of municipal governments, while the provinces and territories are responsible for the approval, licensing and monitoring of operations. 

Landfills

Landfills are designed and located in a manner to minimize impacts both to the social and natural environment. To the greatest extent possible, future concerns of landfills are taken into consideration during the design and operation of the landfill.

• Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Options: Integrating Organics Management and Residual Treatment/Disposal

Incineration

Incineration is a type of thermal treatment that is recognized as an effective and environmentally sound disposal method for a wide range of wastes, and is used in facilities across Canada. 

• MSW Thermal Treatment in Canada 2006 
• Fact Sheet: Technical Document for Batch Waste Incineration
• Technical Document for Batch Waste Incineration
• Canadian Council of Ministers of Environment (CCME): Dioxin and Furan Emissions from Waste Incineration
• CCME: Mercury Emissions from Waste Incineration

Open Burning

• Open Burning of Garbage

Municipal Solid Waste Organics Processing

• Technical Document on Municipal Solid Waste Organics Processing - Summary