About waste management

The Region provides cost-effective, efficient, environmentally responsible waste management services to 1.3 million residents throughout Peel.

Roadmap to a Circular Economy in Peel Region

3Rs Waste Management Hierarchy

On July 3, 2014, Peel Regional Council adopted the Waste Reduction and Resource Recovery Strategy. This strategy is built upon a 4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover) Waste Management Hierarchy.

This hierarchy prioritizes reduction as the best way to minimize the negative impact of waste. According to this hierarchy, the best way to manage our waste is to avoid generating it in the first place (Reduce). But once a material exists in the waste stream (i.e. the owner decides it is no longer useable), the preferred approach is for it to be donated or sold (Reuse) followed by it being reprocessed to make new products (Recycle). Where material cannot be reused or recycled, its energy should be recovered through an energy recovery process. Recovery is preferred over landfill because it enables the Region to recoup the resource value of our garbage rather than bury it underground.

On October 8, 2016, Regional Council adopted a 3Rs diversion target of 75 per cent by 2034. Currently, Waste Management staff is developing a plan to achieve this diversion target. This plan will include policies to increase participation in existing recycling programs, new programs to capture materials that are not included in Peel’s current programs and processes to recover resources that remain in Peel’s garbage. Before it is finalized, public consultations will be conducted to obtain residents’ feedback on the plan.

Waste Management will keep you apprised of the details as they are confirmed and look forward to working with Peel residents to deliver waste management services.

Waste management objectives

The first objective of our Waste Management strategy is to design and deliver waste management services that meet the needs of the customer in a cost-effective manner.

Our second objective is to reduce the negative impact of waste.

To meet the first objective, the Region will:

Regularly review the waste management services offered to ensure they reflect the needs of the residents and businesses we serve.
Consider a broad range of service delivery options to ensure services are delivered effectively, efficiently and meet our customers' needs.
Monitor changes within the industry to ensure we are aware of best practices.
Monitor changes in the legislation governing waste management to ensure we are aware of pending changes and to influence the government to adopt changes that benefit Peel.
Invest in long term infrastructure.

To meet the second objective, the Region will:

Increase focus on lowering waste generation rates by developing and implementing a Waste Reduction Plan.
Increase focus on reuse activities by developing and implementing a Waste Reuse Plan.
Ensure that the Region's Agencies, Boards, Commissions and Departments (ABCDs) implement waste reduction and reuse plans so that the Region is leading by example.
Design and implement curbside and multi-residential programs and policies and implement educational programs to increase capture of recycling cart and organics (green) cart material and to decrease recycling cart and organics (green) cart contamination.
Develop infrastructure to extract the resource value from the waste we collect. By developing this infrastructure we will:
- Reduce the consumption of natural resources, including energy.
- Reduce the emission of pollutants, including greenhouse gases.
- Reduce the need for landfill space.
Research and implement green procurement practices.
Advocate for stronger Extended Producer Responsibility legislation.
Foster collaborative relationships with the packaging, product and retail industries, as well as the food sector to support them in their waste reduction activities.

Waste Collection Design Standards Manual

A development must meet certain requirements – such as correct spacing for trucks – for the Region to collect its waste.

This manual helps developers plan for these waste collection requirements.

Refer to the Design, standard specification, and procedures page to download a copy of the manual.