Costs of dealing with garbage:
In 2009, it costs Niagara $67 to dispose of a tonne of garbage (the highest was $75 for Hamilton and only $19 for London). It costs $105 for Niagara to collect a tonne of residential garbage ($180 inHamilton, $85 inLondon, $79 inOttawa and $64 inBarrie). It cost $184 a tonne to divert garbage inNiagara. Costs of diversion have increased; however diversion is more cost-effective than the combined cost of collecting and disposing of waste and therefore is of an environmental and financial benefit.
Figure 3.14 Cost to dispose of a tonne of garbage, 2009
Costs can be attributed to declining landfill capacities, thereby resulting in increased landfill rates, additional costs of transporting waste outside a community, aging infrastructure, capital costs, costs associated with the incineration of garbage, service agreements, increase in leachate treatment, and fluctuating fuel costs. OMBI, CAO, 2009
Figure 3.15 Tonnes of solid waste of residential garbage per household to landfills, 2007-2009
The above chart indicates the total tonnes collected and going to landfill. Given the life expectancy of several landfills across the province and the fact there are many diversion programs and services in place, there is still a high volume of waste going to landfills.
