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recycling in canada Essay

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Questions
What is the current state of the recycling programs in Canada? Do some provinces recycle more than others? How can the amount of recycling in a nation be increased? What does the future hold in terms of recycling initiatives?
Introduction
A very important issue tied to Canada’s future sustainability is that of recycling. There is currently a shortage of suitable landfill spaces in Canada, and the current landfills produce harmful emissions (Statistics Canada, 2008). Using methods to divert as many of these wastes away from landfills will help to slow their growth and improve Canada’s future outlook. Recycling is one such method.
Recycling Programs in Canada Currently in Canada, the amount of waste generated by households …show more content…

As a result of this growth, Ontario has struggled to manage the volume of green bin waste to the point where it is sometimes not technically even recycled anymore. According to Welsh, in 2008 York region and Guelph shipped their kitchen waste to an incinerator New York State because their own facilities had to close (2009, para. 12). This is a shocking finding and is clearly a step backwards for recycling initiatives in Canada.
Paper recycling, on the other hand has been around for much longer. Pulp and paper plants in Canada have been using recycled material for more than 60 years (Bourdages, 1993, para. 4). One of the most obvious environmental benefits of using recycled paper materials, is that it will help to reduce the amount of trees being cut down for production of new paper. Overall, it is evident that there is an established recycling effort in Canada, featuring both positive and negative aspects.
Recycling comparisons by province In Canada, a disparity exists among the provinces in terms of recycling efforts and initiatives. A recent study ranked the Canadian provinces in terms of recycling, and based the rankings on both access and utilization of recycling programs. The top three Canadian provinces in 2006 were Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and Ontario (Statistics Canada, 2008, para. 16-17). One might find it surprising that the smallest province in Canada is actually the national leader in terms of recycling. The worst province in Canada in terms

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