Household Hazardous Waste

摘要

Ontario households generate between 20 and 40 litres of household hazardous waste (HHW) per year. Given the low usage of HHW depots and the danger that careless toxics disposal pose, some recent efforts have attempted to shift waste management behaviours in a positive direction. Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) is a permanent, nongovernment corporation created under the Waste Diversion Act on June 27, 2002. WDO was established to develop, implement and operate waste diversion programs for a wide range of materials that includes household special waste. A waste diversion program will be developed after materials are designated by the Minister of the Environment. A survey conducted by Informa Market Research Company Ltd. February to April 2001 aimed to find out whether residents of Ontario would follow the BUD approach to HHW management. This term has nothing to do with gardening or beer; rather, BUD is an acronym for three steps to reducing HHW: buy only what you need, use it up and dispose of it safely. Informa turned to 300 London residences for the answer. The results of this exercise are sure to be useful for hazardous waste managers across the country.