[GreenYes] FW: O-I letter castigates Ontario recycling system

["Pat Franklin" <pfranklin@no.address>]

Very interesting article about what Owens-Illinois (a glass container
manufacturer) thinks about it Ontario's curbside recycling program.[Pat
Franklin]  Sorry for cross postings.


 Solid Waste & Recycling,  2/3/2006

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O-I letter castigates Ontario recycling system

Glass manufacturer Owens-Illinois (O-I) has written its comments to the
Stewardship Ontario Blue Box Funding Review Committee. The document is
posted on our website under Posted Documents (at www.solidwastemag.com). O-I
operates two large glass recycling plants in Ontario.

The document constitutes something of a scathing indictment of the current
Ontario curbside recycling system, at least as it applies to glass
containers. The document also sheds light on problems that stem from
single-stream recycling -- a current trend.

The five-page letter pulls no punches and states: "...glass recycling in
Ontario is failing and failing badly."

"Single-stream" blue box collection of recyclables means that more glass is
being sent to landfill today than just a year ago, the letter says.
Ironically, as Ontario ships millions of tonnes of garbage to Michigan each
year for disposal, O-I Canada is importing cullet derived from Michigan's
deposit-refund based recovery system to manufacture glass packaging in
Ontario.

Rather than address the problem of low glass recycling rates, the Liquor
Control Board of Ontario (LCBO), O-I says, the single largest source of
waste glass in the province, is coercing its suppliers to switch to Tetra
Pak cartons that are recovered at a rates of only 12.7 per cent (or
one-fifth the rate at which glass is recovered by the blue box today).

"While low-weight packaging with a low recovery rate certainly offers the
LCBO lower applicable stewardship fees, it comes at a tremendous cost to
Ontario's environment and economy," the letter states.

Based in Toledo, Ohio, O-I is the largest manufacturer of glass containers
in the world, with leading positions in Europe, North America, Asia Pacific
and South America. For more information about the company, visit www.o-i.com

EDITOR'S NOTE: The forthcoming February/March edition of Solid Waste &
Recycling magazine will contain detailed editorial comment on the LCBO glass
and Tetra Pak issue. Additionally, readers will want to watch the online
diaries (blogs) on this website for additional analysis of the glass
recycling issue in the days to come.


                        Canada's magazine on collection, hauling, processing
and disposal

                        Guy Crittenden
                        Editor  Solid Waste & Recycling
                        EcoLog Group
                        12 Concorde Place, Suite 800
                        Toronto, Ontario
                        M3C 4J2
                        gcrittenden@no.address  tel:  705-445-0361




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