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The Nova Scotia GPI Solid Waste-Resource Accounts

Media Coverage

Clearly, we could be recycling more
October 2, 2006, The Chronicle-Herald
“Your dirty little secrets might not be safe anymore. Halifax homeowners might have to start using clear plastic garbage bags to encourage more recycling and composting. Forcing people to reveal their junk would likely increase the rate of diversion at city dumps, says a staff report written for a city hall committee meeting Thursday afternoon.”

Mar. 1, 2005, National Post ~ Bill Mah

Tim Hortons contest a litterbug, critics say: Roll up the rim begins

“ In Nova Scotia, Mr. Colman said a government-sponsored study showed Tim Hortons and fast-food rival McDonald's alone account for one-third of all litter in that province. Tim Hortons packaging accounted for 22% and McDonald's for 10.1% of all identifiable litter. ¶ "Worst of all, there's no longer any reason for Tim Hortons to use coffee cups that can't be composted or recycled," Mr. Colman said. ”

September 13, 2004, Wired News

Study: Recycling Cost Overstated

“ Over the past nine years, Nova Scotia has emerged as a world leader in recycling, sending only about half its garbage to landfills or incinerators. ¶ While recycling programs cost more than dumping trash into a big hole, a new study finds that the sparsely populated Canadian province is actually saving money by reducing its waste. When all the costs and benefits of those programs are measured, and depending on what factors are taken into account, the report says that Nova Scotia saves anywhere from $25 million to $125 million every year. ”

Nova Scotia, Canada - Recycling and composting saves C$31 million pa
August 2004 Warmer Bulletin #96, (20K PDF)
“ The biggest financial advantage of the new system over the old is in the energy saved by using recycled materials instead of materials extracted from virgin resources. ¶ The second largest financial benefit comes from extending the life-span of landfills by diverting nearly half of the province’s solid waste to recycling and composting. ”

July 16, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald ~ Leah Sandals

For better or for worse: Who decides what’s what?

“ GPI Atlantic’s latest report on solid waste, for example, shows how Recycling saves Nova Scotia taxpayers $31 million per year in energy use and landfill replacement. Old accounting methods focused on basic operating costs, neglecting even obvious outlays like the $10 million paid to Sackville residents for landfill-related quality-of-life losses. ¶ In its brief history, GPI Atlantic has generated groundbreaking studies on everything from the costs of obesity and smoking to the viability of farming and forestry – and others are taking notice. Vancouver's and Montreal’s municipal governments help fund GPIA's projects, and eight provinces contracted GPIA to conduct regional obesity studies. Roy Romanow is a big fan, and is helping a national consortium of GPI groups launch a Canadian Index of Well-being this fall. ”

July 16, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald ~ Ronald Colman

No spin on waste-management benefits

“ Far from being a contrivance or "spin," as Mr. Rozee claims, full-cost accounting is actually a far more accurate and comprehensive way of assessing the full range of economic, social and environmental benefits and costs of a project than the narrow accounting mechanisms currently in use. In an era of fiscal restraint, where budgets largely determine policy, it is more important than ever to document actual savings that are invisible in the conventional accounts. ”

July 15, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald Voice of the People ~ Ken Rozee, Hubley

Spin not needed

“ Let us be more realistic and stop promoting annoying eco-bafflegab. The new garbage recycling system costs the HRM taxpayer $23.9 million ($72.5 million minus $48.6 million) more than the old; we do not save $31 million. For this additional tax, the public creates probably 150 to 200 new jobs ($6 million to $8 million), and extends the life of our landfill by 46 to 50 per cent ($18.8 million) and usually, but not always, reduces air pollution (cost and benefits unknown). ¶ If this restatement of Sally Walker's report suggests that I am against recycling efforts, that is not the case. Recycling efforts do not need spin-doctors and their weird reorientation of facts to promote its benefits. The recycling message does not need spin! ”

Cashing in on trash
July 12, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald Editorial
“ The rest of the world is watching how we take out garbage in Nova Scotia. And they seem impressed, based on the number of delegations coming for a first-hand look. The report even found those visits impacted on the province's tourism revenues. That surely gives new meaning to the term eco-tourism, and shows yet another way we're cashing in on taking out the trash. ”

July 11, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald ~ Silver Donald Cameron

Gleaning gold from garbage

“ Last week, GPI Atlantic issued its newest report, on the economic costs and benefits of recycling and composting. In 1989, only three per cent of Nova Scotia’s solid waste was composted or recycled. ¶ Today that figure is 46 per cent. Our province’s management of its garbage is the best in the world. Stand a little straighter, everyone. ¶ Among the economic benefits of this achievement is a constant parade of observers coming to Nova Scotia to see how we do it. In effect, we’ve created a waste-management tourism industry which draws visitors from all over Canada as well as from Europe, Asia, South America and the Caribbean. ”

July 10, 2004, The Chronicle-Herald ~ Marilla Stephenson

It’s a dirty, smelly job but most of us do it well

“ Let’s not pretend that any of us enjoy the chore of being environmentally conscious with our garbage. And let’s acknowledge that there is the odd end of a soggy English cucumber, cellophane intact, that ends up in the wrong receptable. (Who, me?) ¶ But, for the most part, Nova Scotians are making a world-class effort when it comes to separating garbage. ¶ This was confirmed in a report this week indicating our reduce-recycle-reuse waste strategy is actually cheaper than the old dump-it-in-the-dump approach. ”

July 9, 2004, The Cape Breton Post ~ Chris Shannon

Island lagging in waste reduction

“ Known as the diversion rate — the percentage of garbage that is recycled and put in compost instead of ending up in a landfill — it showed that only 25 per cent of trash is disposed of by using environmentally-friendly methods. ¶ Halifax leads the way with a diversion rate of 59 per cent — the highest waste diversion rate of all Canadian municipalities. That's followed by the Annapolis Valley with 51 per cent. ”

July 8, 2004, The Toronto Sun CANADA Briefs

High Praise for Trash Plan

“ Nova Scotia may have something to teach the rest of the country, if not the world, about dealing with garbage, a non-profit research group suggested yesterday. The province's solid waste management strategy is saving taxpayers at least $31 million a year by diverting about 46% of its garbage from landfills ‐ a dramatic increase from 3% at the strategy's 1989 start. ”
Copyright © 2004 The Toronto Sun

July 8, 2004, The Daily News, Halifax ~ Andrea MacDonald

N.S. collects garbage bragging rights

“ Dumping everything in the landfill, as Nova Scotians did until the mid-‘80s, actually costs $24 million a year less than the current system. GPI argues that number is misleading, however, because it excludes a wide range of social and environmental costs and benefits. ¶ For example, the old Sackville dump had leachate problems, rodents, foul odours and gas, which had environmental and health costs. Nearby residents were eventually compensated with $10.4 million. ¶ The GPI report found that, per capita, Nova Scotia disposes of 39 per cent less waste than the Canadian average. HRM has the highest waste-diversion rate of any municipality in Canada and is twice the average. report by Genuine Progress Index Atlantic concludes the province's solid waste management strategy is saving taxpayers at least $31 million a year. ”

N.S. seen as leader in garbage reduction
July 8, 2004, The Daily Courier, Kelowna, BC
“ HALIFAX — Nova Scotia may have something to teach the rest of the country, if not the world, about dealing with garbage, a non-profit research group suggested Wednesday. ”

N.S. applauded for waste strategy
July 8, 2004, The Guardian, Charlottetow, PEI
“ A report by Genuine Progress Index Atlantic concludes the province's solid waste management strategy is saving taxpayers at least $31 million a year. ”

N.S. leads in solid waste diversion: group
July 7, 2004, Canoe.ca ~ John Lewandowski
“ At its core, Nova Scotia's waste management strategy, which was introduced in 1989, treats waste as a resource and is designed to reduce its impact on the environment. ”

July 7, 2004, CP News Wire

A two year study by a non-profit research group suggests Nova Scotia is a world leader in solid waste management

“ HALIFAX — A two year study by a non-profit research group suggests Nova Scotia is a world leader in solid waste management. ¶ The Genuine Progress Index report concludes that with all costs and benefits factored in the province's handling of garbage saves at least 31 million dollars a year. ¶ The study takes into account the money spent collecting and sorting trash but it also assigns a dollar value to things like extended landfill life, reduced air pollution and job creation. ¶ Lead author Dr. Sally Walker, who heads a Halifax based environmental consulting company, says that Nova Scotia now diverts 46 per cent of its solid waste compared to only three per cent in 1989. ¶ The province, the federal government and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities all contributed funding to the study. ”
Copyright © 2004 CP News Wire

July 7, 2004, Nova Scotia Department of Environment and Labour Press Release

Independent Report Confirms Success in Waste Reduction

“ Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash expressed pride today, July 7, that an independent research group has endorsed Nova Scotia's solid waste resource management strategy. His comments follow release of a two-year study by Genuine Progress Index (GPI) Atlantic that concluded Nova Scotia's method of handling solid waste is reducing air pollutants, reducing energy consumption and saving taxpayers money. ¶ "I'm not surprised by the report's conclusions. We've known all along that Nova Scotia is a world leader in recycling and composting," said Mr. Morash. "Our initiatives are creating jobs and diverting thousands of tons of waste from our landfills. And experts from around the world are continually visiting our province to learn from our example." ”

May/June 2001, Canadian Geographic ~ Silver Donald Cameron

Recycling by the Sea

Nova Scotia's Recycling Revolution: A Genuine Progress Story
“ Nova Scotia has suddenly become famous for its environmental achievements. A decade ago, Canada's provinces set a goal of "50% by 2000" -- eliminating, by the year 2000, half the amount of solid waste sent to the nation's dumps and incinerators. Nova Scotia has done it. No other province has even come close. As we speak, the story is being carried by CNN. Officials from Hong Kong, Ireland and Russia are making pilgrimages to Halifax to see how we do it. ”

The Nova Scotia GPI Solid Waste-Resource Accounts
July 2004	Human Impact on the Environment
Authors: Sally Walker, Ronald Colman, Jeffrey Wilson, Anne Monette, & Gay Harley
A comprehensive, full cost-benefit analysis of the Nova Scotia Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy, accounting for benefits like avoided greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions; avoided liability costs; extended landfill life; and increased employment. It also accounts for the costs of the bottle deposit-refund, tire recycling, and stewardship programs, and the cost of the extra time needed to sort waste.
	Executive Summary 10 pages 242K PDF
	Full Report 198 pages 1.6MB PDF
Press Release \| 132K PDF	Media Coverage

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