The future of waste management in Barrie includes a circular economy. This means we need to rethink the traditional three Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and consider the value of materials and products before they become waste. Let's rethink waste!
The circular economy is about ways to move toward greener, more sustainable options. How can we do this? It means making thoughtful choices when purchasing items, finding creative ways to make items, use things in new ways or return items so they can be reused. It means reducing food waste and repairing or sharing things instead of throwing them out.
By rethinking different types of waste and making decisions that support a circular economy, you can help prolong the life of Barrie's landfill and contribute to efforts in solving global environmental challenges.
Reduce Electronic Waste
Electronic waste (e-waste) includes items you once turned on or plugged in. This is becoming one of the fastest-growing waste streams in the world because of the advances in technology and new products released every year. It's more important than ever to think about where your electronics are going when you don't need them anymore.
Reduce Food Waste
The objective of the third pillar of the City's Circular Economy Framework, Consume, is to rethink the role that food can play in supporting a circular economy. There's many small actions you can take to reduce your food waste at home.
Did you know? It's estimated that more than half of Canada's food supply is wasted annually and $49.5 billion of that wasted food is avoidable. Food is wasted from farm to plate, through production, processing, distribution, retail, food-service and at home. Source: Canada.ca.
Reduce Single-Use Plastics
Everyone has a role to play to reduce plastic waste and to tackle plastic pollution in our collective movement towards a circular economy: governments, companies, the recycling industry, and individuals.
Reduce Textile Waste
Clothing production and consumption contributes to textile waste globally. By rethinking the way you consume and dispose of textile waste, you can help contribute to a greener Barrie and planet.
Did you know? The average person throws away 37 kilograms of textiles each year, and 95% of those clothes could be reused or recycled (source: WRW Canada).
Share, Swap & Repair
The objective of the first pillar of the City's Circular Economy Framework, Reuse, is to create and foster a culture of reuse. Sharing, swapping, and repairing are simple ways to extend the life of everyday products. The sharing economy is based on pooling and exchanging services, resources, goods, time, knowledge and skills.