Key sources on waste management in Canada

The Solid Waste Association of North America: The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA) is an organization of more than 10,000 public and private sector professionals committed to advancing from solid waste management to resource management through their shared emphasis on education, advocacy and research. For more than 60 years, SWANA has been the leading association in the solid waste management field. SWANA serves industry professionals through technical conferences, certifications, publications and a large offering of technical training courses.

Municipal solid waste, statistics and trends: Data collected from the waste management industry and from municipalities helps track our progress in reducing certain waste streams and better managing others.

Reducing municipal solid waste: The waste hierarchy - rethinking to recovery, Waste prevention and the circular economy, Municipal solid waste: non-hazardous and hazardous, How to recycle or dispose of specific items or wastes, and Additional resources for managing specific wastes

Overview of extended producer responsibility in Canada: In Canada, both “extended producer responsibility” (EPR) and “product stewardship” programs are used to manage products at their end-of-life. The key differences in approaches are explained here.

Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda: Learn more about the federal #ZeroPlasticWaste agenda to #BeatPlasticPollution, including Canada’s actions to keep plastics in the economy and out of the environment.

Compost council of Canada: The Compost Council of Canada serves as the central resource and network for the organics recycling and compost industry, working with its members to advance the recovery and recycling of organic residuals for the production of compost for improved soil health and vitality. The Compost Quality Standard and associated federal/provincial regulations and guidelines, Certified Compost Facility Operators program, Compost Quality Alliance, National Compost Conference and Compost Matters! Regional Workshops, Certified Compostable Standard, ongoing industry communication as well as community-led programs such as Plant a Row – Grow a Row and International Compost Awareness Week celebrations are just some of the initiatives that have and continue to be championed by The Council and its members.

National strategy for lamps containing mercury: The National Strategy for Safe and Environmentally Sound Disposal of Lamps Containing Mercury Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to develop a national strategy by June 2019 and to report on its effectiveness every 5 years thereafter.

Waste and greenhouse gases, Canada’s actions: According to Canada's Greenhouse Gas Inventory, in 2022, emissions from Canadian landfills accounted for 17% of national methane emissions.

Provincial, territorial, and international contacts: Links to other environmental agencies are provided on this page, including links to the web sites of the provincial/territorial environmental authorities, the US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the Basel Convention.

International commitments on waste: Canadian agreements, commitments and collaboration on waste.

The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council: The Waste-to-Energy Research and Technology Council (WTERT) was founded in 2002 as part of the Earth Engineering Center of Columbia University in New York, U.S.A and the Energy Recovery Council, the U.S. association of waste to energy companies in the U.S. The Earth Engineering Center (EEC) is member of Columbia University’s Earth Institute. EEC brings together engineers, economists and political scientists to develop solutions to major environmental problems. Over the years, universities and organizations in several other countries created WtERT organizations which are now members of the Global WtERT Council, Inc. (GWC). WTERT-Canada is hosted by Concordia University in Montreal.

Community Research Connections: This research space is dedicated to the sustainable features of Canadian communities, exploring how to reconcile ecological, social, and economic imperatives through integration of our culture and arts.

The Community-based Research Laboratory: The Community-based Research Laboratory (CBRL) is a knowledge hub created by Dr. Jutta Gutberlet in 2005 and located in the Department of Geography at the University of Victoria. CBRL hosts a group of researchers and students that are committed to participatory oriented and community-based research in Canada and around the world.

Funding for municipal solid waste projects: The Government of Canada provides financial or other support for waste management through programs such as the Green Municipal Fund and Sustainable Development Technology Canada. The links below provide information on these and other programs that may benefit companies or municipalities as they develop or implement different waste management options.