Resolutions

Be it resolved that, until a Multi-Material Recycling Program is established, Saskatchewan Environment should fully compensate regional authorities and municipalities which recycle paper, plastics, glass or tin, based on the collection data compiled in conjunction with the Assoc. of Regional Waste Management Authorities of Sask. (ARWMAS).

Recycling of the materials identified in this resolution is not a legislated requirement; the decision to recycle these waste streams has been left to the regional authority or municipality. Recycling must make sense from environmental, economic and social standpoints. The evaluation of these factors is often best made at the community level. Saskatchewan Environment provided interim funding support of $700,000 during 2004-05 to sustain regional waste management by helping to retire debt related to recycling operations. The department is not in a position to provide further interim support, but instead is moving ahead to expeditiously review the feasibility of multi-material recycling. Decisions surrounding recycling should be made with economic responsibility in mind, as well as other benefits that recycling provides. Recycling reduces the amount of material going to the landfill and provides jobs to the community. There is an economic benefit to the community because they need to invest in development of landfills and cost of operation of landfills is reduced. In addition, recycling operations create jobs in the community, in many cases, for physically and socially challenged individuals. These benefits should be taken into account when communities are determining whether recycling programs are a financial burden or a benefit to their residents.