Toxic Nation | Pollution. It's In You.

Last week Ontario announced a new initiative that will make it easier for residents to properly dispose of their hazardous waste. The Do What You Can program allows those in the province to recycle toxic waste, such as batteries, paints, lacquers, oil filters, pesticides and solvents, by returning them to participating home renovation stores. Rona and Home Depot are among the retailers involved.

The initiative, set up by Stewardship Ontario - which also runs Blue Box recycling and municipal hazardous and special waste programs, aims to divert over 32,000 tonnes of harmful household substances from Ontario landfills in the next five years, and seeks to prevent hazardous chemicals from being poured down the drain.

Stewardship Ontario will collect and transport items to appropriate facilities so that they can be reused, recycled, processed or disposed of according to environmental disposal standards. The program plans to expand over time in order to include other hazardous products such as fluorescent light bulbs, aerosol containers, and caustic cleaners.

The program cost, estimated at about $28 million in year one, will be covered through fees paid to Stewardship Ontario by makers and importers of targeted products. The idea is for hazardous product producers to take more responsibility for their waste.

It is hoped that the program will eventually be adopted by other provinces across the country. Find out what New Brunswick and Quebec are already doing.

Learn more about the Ontario Do What You Can program by visiting www.dowhatyoucan.ca. See what items you can recycle and where by typing in your postal code or municipality.

Read The Star article Got old paint? Take it back to store.

Cheers,

Sarah