Solid Waste Disposal
Definition:
Annual per capita solid waste disposal, expressed as kilograms per person.
Methods and Limitations:
This indicator reports the estimated amount of solid waste that each resident sends to a landfill or other disposal site in a given year for a regional district and for British Columbia. Population estimates are provided by BC Stats.
Solid waste includes waste from the residential sector, institutional, commercial, and light industrial sources, as well as waste from construction, demolition, and renovation activities. Disposal rates do not include hazardous, biomedical or agricultural waste, motor vehicles or components, heavy industry, or contaminated soil. Waste that is reused or recycled is also not included.
Variability in disposal rates is influenced by factors such as population density, economic activity, tourist and transient population fluctuations, distance to recycling markets, the role of various stewardship agencies operating in an area and the capacity and infrastructure in place in a region.
In the Capital Regional District, there are two landfill sites: Hartland Landfill and Tervita Highwest Landfill. The Highwest site primarily manages construction and demolition material generated from both within and outside of the region. In 2021, this landfill reached its approved filling capacity, stopped receiving solid waste for disposal, and is subsequently being capped while a material recovery facility continues to operate on the site. Given the rise in volumes at Hartland in the latter part of 2021, it is believed that much of the material previously being landfilled at Highwest is now being directed to Hartland for disposal.
Source(s):
Capital Region District. 2022 Solid Waste Management Plan Progress Report.
Environmental Reporting BC. 2022. Municipal Solid Waste Disposal in BC (1990-2020). State of Environment Reporting, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, British Columbia.
Data is updated on Vital Victoria as it becomes available from the data providers.
Solid Waste Disposal in the Sustainable Development Goals
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12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Sustainable consumption and production is about promoting resource and energy efficiency, sustainable infrastructure, and providing access to basic services, green and decent jobs and a better quality of life for all. Its implementation helps to achieve overall development plans, reduce future economic, environmental and social costs, strengthen economic competitiveness and reduce poverty.
Sustainable consumption and production aims at “doing more and better with less,” increasing net welfare gains from economic activities by reducing resource use, degradation and pollution along the whole lifecycle, while increasing quality of life. It involves different stakeholders, including business, consumers, policy makers, researchers, scientists, retailers, media, and development cooperation agencies, among others.
It also requires a systemic approach and cooperation among actors operating in the supply chain, from producer to final consumer. It involves engaging consumers through awareness-raising and education on sustainable consumption and lifestyles, providing consumers with adequate information through standards and labels and engaging in sustainable public procurement, among others.