Waste to Energy, it is likely a reality for the lower mainland
Amazing how garbage is now in the news, we are definately at a cross roads in our region. Landfill space is diminishing and solutions for our region include Waste to Energy. I think it is likely a reality as our regions population is growing and is anticipated to grow in the next 30 years. With this growth the waste we generate will continue to grow as well. Sad! We are so sophisticated and technologically advanced … and yet we have not figured out a way to reduce our consumption or wasteful habits to help reduce the pressures on landfills.
Recycling what you can is imperative, there is no doubt. But even more important (and I feel that I am stating the obvious, so forgive me) but we must consume more effeciently to reduce the waste we create. We must buy services and products that deliver the goods in an environmentally sensitive and considerate way. Reducing our needs will go a long way in helping the pressure that is building on our local and global landfills.
Our economic success personally allows us to purchase goods to celebrate our successes. This is great! But we as society need to take it one step further, purchase goods that allign with a environmentally sensitive lifestyle.
Waste to Energy, is it the right option for the lower mainland?
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2009/06/23/bc-garbage-burning-gvrd.html
What is the lower mainland going to do with 500,000 Mt’s of garbage that would have otherwise been sent to the Cache Creek landfill? The answer is complex and it is not too late to get involved to educate yourself about all the issues and solutions that are being proposed. Metro Vancouver will be looking to the public to voice their opions and help give a direction to the politicians whose hands this decision sits with.
I will post a link for the public hearing information.
Light at the end of the recycling markets tunnel
In early October 2008 an upresedented decline in paper markets rocked the commodity world. Within 20 days the markets collapsed from a robust level to the rock bottom. Buyers of commodities retreated, then they simply dissappeared and promised news as soon as they knew anything. The reality is buyers stepped out of the market and in many cases cancelled orders for paper, and in some cases I have heard orders were cancelled in transit to recycling mills around the globe.
I have been muddling around in the recycling world for about 20 years and have never seen a decline occur with such speed and aggressiveness. Talking to some of the industry veterans who we know well, in the last 40 years (as long as the recycling markets have been tracked) there have been only four major market corrections, but this last correction was without a doubt the most severe.
With the global recession there is been a reduction of recycled paper in the market place. What does this mean? Very simply, it means that consumer goods are not selling, newspaper are thinner (less advertising and in some cases have gone out of business because of the lack of media buying), magazines or advertising medium is reduced or non existant all contributing in a reduced amount of material available for collection, processing and recycling. And quite simply reduced supply, ultimately influences the price which has been recovering from the bottom of the deep trench since about mid February 2009.
Have we turned the corner? I am not sure we have, but the markets seem more stable to me. I think have with any luck entered the back stretch and are hopefully moving along to a less volatile economy and eventually greater demand for our product and services.
Recycling markets hit by the recession
Article focuses on the downturn or implosion of the fibre markets late 2008 (paper is fibre and is sold on the global market as a commodity). Urban Impact recently released some information that the markets in fact are returning and demand continues to be strong. These are all excellent signs that the demand is constant. Recession in North America and oversees has reduced supply of recycled paper which in turn is increasing prices paid for materials. We are certainly not out of the woods yet with paper markets, but it is good to see continued interest and improved demand
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