Image: Toronto Star
Toronto has an ambitious plan to reduce waste to landfill by 70% by 2010. This means that consumption of one-time use containers will have to decrease dramatically. As you can see in the above picture from the Star, trash on city streets is made up of plastic bags, coffee cups, and fast food containers. Just imagine what would happen to New York City’s trash volume if Starbucks forced all their patrons to bring their own cups!
According to the Toronto Star, the city is considering three options:
An outright ban.
A levy or tax on the items. (Charging extra would presumably influence consumers to use recyclable cups or containers.)
A deposit-return program similar to the provincial bottle return program, whereby consumers get at least a portion of their money back if they turn in the container, making the seller responsible for recycling it.
Toronto’s ambitous plans are spurred by a landfill that’s nearing capacity and the desire to avoid incineration, which can release toxic gases and large amounts of global warming gases. But will their initiative work?
Reducing waste to landfill through legislation
Let’s take a look at the three options presented by the Toronto government, as well as their possible pros and cons:
- Ban: Considering that the ban would take place on a business level, I think it would be very successful. All one would need to do is pop into any coffee shop and see if they’re handing out disposable cups, then slap a big fine on the company. Since this ban eliminates consumer choice, there are actually very few points of mediation between the government and potential offenders (limited to business owners). However, jumping from no regulation to ban at breakneck speed leaves little room for consumers or businesses to change their habits, and will likely lead to ill will and resistance, even amongst those who agree with the cause in principle.
- Tax: I think taxes are the best solution here. No one likes taxes, and they may not affect the type of person who goes into a coffee shop for a $4 mocha latte, but that fact is that taxes get things done. Would you bring your favorite coffee mug to get coffee on the way to work if it meant saving a dollar a week? I would. And for all those people who don’t want to conserve and would rather pay the tax, that money can go to recycling or waste management programs to otherwise deal with the problems caused by disposable food containers.
- Deposit: Deposits sound nice in principle, but when was the last time anyone ever turned in a can for deposit? There is a program in my state, but I’m too lazy to do it, so I just put my recycling out and expect nothing in return. Plus, because most of the waste in question here is food waste, the return system would have to be handled within the place of business, which would not only inconvenience people grabbing food and leaving, but the businesses that now have to collect and store trash in a new way, as well as issue deposit refunds. I actually think this would be more burdensome than an outright ban, and would eventually fail insofar as it would not affect any real change.
How would you handle Toronto’s current trash problem?
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Mandatory composting.
The cups and other containers could be made of “environmental nutrients” that are recaptured, composed and used to grow further crops.
Good job EcoRenovator! Your assesment shows that you are realistic and reflective - understanding human nature.
I HAVE BEEN ON THE DISPOSABLE COFFEE CUP AND WATER BOTTLE FOR QUITE SOME TIME - PEOPLE THOUGHT I WAS NUTS BUT NOW IT IS COMING TO FRUITION!
Popular misconception - they’re paper cups - and can be recycled. Nope not so easy. The energy expended to recycle a paper coffee cup is extremely difficult - they are coated with a polyethylene. It takes 4-5 times more energy to collect, transport, reconstruct — i.e. recycle - than to simply make a new one - no one knows this.
Why do our communities pay for the recycling of large corporations waste? Coca-Cola - buys my water - locally - and pays the government $3.83 for 1 million litres — puts it in plastic and sells it back to me for $1.69 per 1 litre bottle — making millions and then my tax dollars go to clean up the mess and our planet pays the price for the solid waste.
This has to be the best scam/raquette going!! Where is Tony Soprano? He would love this profit margin.
What next? Sell me some captured ‘air’ in a non-reusable metal container - concievably - that would be the only thing that could be worse!!!!!!!!
Instead of banning the cardboard cup - why not mandate recycling of them instead?
Ban! Just like they should ban plastic water bottles
make the cups out of tortilla!! then you could just eat them!!
Hi there!
What are these cardboard cups you speak of?
Why do you need them?
How did you do without them back in the old days before disposable crap became trendy?
Cuz, here in ye olde europe, where the espresso is king, we drink our coffee in tiny porcelain cups, the way it has always been and always will be.
Welcome to reality, funny people! Your artificial lifestyle never made sense.
Great post. If a major player like Tim’s would choose to lead and use eco-friendly alternatives that would bring the volume up, the price down and make it an easier choice for everyone.
California is way ahead in this issue so it may just be a matter of time.
I think it is a good idea, we all need to start making changes before it gets really bad and too late. Why not make the disposable cups out of biodegradable material? It seems to me that everyday someone wants to ‘ban’ something. Let’s think more productively people!!
For reference, bottle return exists and is heavily used in Canada, at least in the province of Ontario. It is quite a bit different from the US cost recycling program. The vast majority of people return their beer bottles for return of deposit. They also now return plastic can holders, and bottle caps.
Taxes??? What? We need more taxes. Taxes only raise the price and put money in the city’s coffers and who knows how badly they will manage it. Certain companies already offer, a few cents off if you use a refillable mug. If you want to reduce, just ban it. There is no easy simple answer. If you want to make a show about it how about taking every cup and see how long it takes to fill up the Don River Valley. The City as a whole should be responsible for its own waste.
Why is the burden on ordinary citizens? The city should mandate that our big coffee co’s (ie. tim horton’s, starbucks) use fully recyclable coffee cups rather than tax us yet again.
Oh yeah - great idea
This works OK if it’s your ever day cup of Joe.
Now, say you go out, oh, to give an example, to your kids football (soccer to us in the states) game. It’s a tad chilly, and you look around, and there is a coffee vendor - but no, you didn’t bring your cup, as you usually don’t drink anything.
I like what they do here at work - your cup of coffee is 25 cents off if you bring your own cup.
If you guys do anything, the Tax is the way to go
So much for Roll Up The Rim. Guess Tim Horton’s will have to figure out a new marketing gimmick.
I’m not a huge environmental type person, yes I recycle, but I know that I throw out a lot of things that I should be putting in the recycle.
Saying this, I would like to commend the author on a very well balanced and thought out article. It’s not just “STOP NOW OR THE PLANET WILL DIE!!!!” that we’re used to seeing.
Now, on to the business at hand. I like the author’s 2 stage approach…first a Tax, then a ban. Given the proposed solutions, this looks good. But I have a feeling that the Tax will stay even when the ban is in effect.
What about a 4th option…Give the companies a chance to find a better alternative. Using Tim Hortons as an example…What if they could find a way to make their cups so that they a) degrade quicker b) are easier to recycle, and c) just more all around environmentally friendly? This puts the ownness on the company to better serve their customers and environment. If they can find a solution to this before the Tax/Ban is put in place, then that company is exempt. And if the tax is put in such a way that the company has to pay the tax but cannot pass that charge on to their customers, there’ll be even more incentive for them to find a solution.
This type of an approach would spurr research…instead of just money that’s hoarded. Research into better ways of doing things can have farther reaching benefits. Maybe Tim Hortons develops a paper cup that starts to break down 6 months after production, and is completely broken down 3 months after that. Sure it’s just one company, but this same paper composition could be used in other packaging…So I guess another part of the regulation would have to involve the companies sharing their research for the betterment of the planet.
This issue could turn into a great discussion….as long as people take into consideration both sides…people don’t change their habits, and most are willing to pay a couple extra cents for their convenience….So keeping the “I’m better than you because I love the environment and recycle everything” attitude is going to do more harm than good. Understanding human nature and laziness and figuring out how best to work around it will do more in the long run. (and this is not directed at the author).
Signing off, drinking my coffee from Tim Hortons in a cup that doesn’t even have the nice triple arrows of recycling.
Zro
This is excellent news! I really hope Toronto pulls it off, despite the forseeable pushback from businesses and corporations. I think canadian cities like Toronto need to set the example for the rest of the world. It may seem radical, but I truly believe that companies that manufacture/distribute/sell any type of goods, should be fully responsible and accountable for waste reduction and recycling. In other words, if your company sells coffee cups to the public, you are responsible by law for collecting and recycling that product. This would force companies to manufacture/sell easily recyclable products, or force them to persuade their customers to avoid the wasteful container/packaging/etc.
As a side note, fast rood restaurants and food courts are some of the worst offenders. Next time you’re in a food court, just observe the amount of one-time use styrofoam and plastic utensils and discarded every minute… It’s just shameful.
I think an outright ban is something that definitely should happen, although maybe to prevent such a rapid change they could do it in steps? I think Toronto’s a great place to begin with a deposit system, The Beer Store in Ontario’s system works great. Half the store is dedicated to returning bottles, so aren’t used to just being lazy. This could go on for a year or so, and then the outright ban could come into existence.
I don’t know, the idea of a deposit system doesn’t sound that bad to me.
Picture going in to Starbucks and being offered the choice of filling your own container or putting a dollar deposit down on a Starbucks ceramic mug. You can either bring it back in for refilling on a subsequent visit or you can turn it in to them for a dollar refund.
I think that would be a great option for the consumer, the company, and the environment.
I lived in Toronto for about 5 years and I am happy to see that they are finally doing something about the excess waste which consumes that city. I moved to Vancouver, and I’ve never felt more healthy.
BAN! BAN! BAN!
Taxes will just go unnoticed. How much are they going to tax? 10%, 20% …? Whatever is reasonable will go unnoticed.
Refunds? How many people go for refunds?
BAN! BAN! BAN!
It will hurt in the beginning, but like everything else, people will adjust.
Let the Big Guys (the coffee makers & sellers, and the City) fight amongst themselves.
Why doesn’t the government incinerate itself instead, rather than terrorising us with this environmentalist non-sense. It’s yet another money grab and an attempt at avoiding the building of additional infrastructure (land-fills or incinerators).
And how does consumer waste compare to industrial waste? Why are they going after us and our money again? When is Miller’s term over?
Incidentally, the Toronto Star reporting on the issue is the same company that has been leaving its paper on my doorstep at 6am in the morning as a promotion (for free). I don’t read it, it goes straight to the blue bin. Does that strike you as waste? Circulation is impossible to reach, I gave up after 30 mins on hold.
Stop being hypocrites, people! I agree that we should care for the environment but don’t dress up your money grabs in lofty words and ideas!
Sounds like a classic David Miller idiocy. So if I want a cup of coffee, I have to walk around with a mug? What about all the water wasted on cleaning these mugs? Instead, it would make more sense to make all fast food trash (cups, containers, napkins etc.) compostable. Then all the trash from the fast food places could go straight to making dirt and methane. Oh and by the way, ! HATE DAVID MILLER!
Love the post and the thoroughness. Digging it!
Aloha - Interesting post. We have a huge trash problem where I live (we are considering shipping it across — an ocean — to the west coast and burying it there). I’d like to read the plan - how are they planning on achieving the 70% reduction?
Great idea Toronto - I hope this flies. It just takes one small step to make a large improvement, whatever that step is. This will certainly get attention. People don’t conform to change easily.
Good. I’m sick of seeing their garbage filled tractor trailers on I-69 coming to Michigan to dump their trash.
There is always an alternative natural solution and it should be up to the company to impletment this, look at The Lush, they package all their gift boxes using popcorn inside to protect the contects…absolutely brill, 100% organic and bio degradable
In Europe, street vendors of mulled wine etc at christmas sell their products in nice porcelain mugs. You pay more, then you get most of it back for taking your mug back to them. Or, if you like the mug, you keep it. Simple.
My vote is on the BAN.
A Ban is the most effective way to
1. prevent the production of disposable cups
2. avoid taxation burden on the consumer
3. promote a clear message of environmentalism unlike taxation, that gets mixed up in the accusation that the ‘government is lining their pockets with my hard-earned money’
4. avoid problems of recycling of a product that is non-biodegradable or expensive to recycle.
5. a top-down approach to reducing waste that is fast, effective, enforce-able.
Although the other idea of deposit-and-recycle system actually fixes itself. The lazy people who can afford to *not* bring their own cups are further not rewarded when they don’t return their disposable cup for a deposit. If you set up “cup racks” on garbage cans then homeless or enterprising people can collect the cups and return them for a deposit. See the Vancouver garbage can at . It keeps the “recycling system humming”.