A World of Trash
From Canada to Cambodia, waste is a common problem with common solutions.
Kate Parizeau
G
ARBAGE provides a snapshot
of what is really going on in a
community. In Cambodia,
I along the hanks of the Siem
Reap River south of the town of Siem
Reap, a picture emerges. With no waste
collection services, many residents of
this riverside community throw their
waste directly into the water, where it is
carried downstream and out of sight.
Back in the city of Toronto, where citi-
zens have access to either public or
private waste collection services, the
situation is obviously very different.
Still, there is much to be learned in the
contrast.
Because the town of Siem Reap is the
gateway to the temples of Angkor Wat,
one of Southeast Asia's major tourism
destinations, the aesthetic appearance of
the river concerns local authorities. The
16 Alternatives Journal 32:1
practice of throwing garbage into the
river also has implications for water
quality and for the quality of life of the
downstream residents who must deal
with the accumulation of the discarded
wastes. Other methods of waste disposal
in this community also bear long-term
environmental implications. While
many hurn their trash, others bury it in
their yards or litter in public spaces.
In tbe summer of 2004, a team of
researchers from the University of
Toronto's Waste-Fcon program went to
Siem Reap as part ofan ongoing project
to examine waste-related issues in
Southeast Asia. Working witb a team of
researchers from the Royal University of
Phnom Penh, the Canadian team helped
assess whether community-based waste
management would be feasihle in tbis
community.' Community-hased waste
2006
management relies heavily on the partic-
ipation and co-operation of community
members to identify waste-related
concerns, develop responses to those
concerns, and participate in the collec-
tion and transportation of waste.
Disposal
In Siem Reap, unrecycled waste is
thrown in the river, burned, buried or
littered. This is uncommon in Toronto.
But Toronto's failure to find local solu-
tions for the city's waste-related prob-
lems has led to a different set of unsus-
tainable practices - politically, econom-
ically and environmentally. Due to inad-
Toranto's 2002 garbage strike gave Canadians a
taste ofwiiat it's like to have no formal garbage
collection - a situation that is commonplace in
much ofthe developing world.
equate waste reduction efforts and the
unwillingness of surrounding commun-
ities to accept Toronto's waste, the city
has found landfill space further afield.
Toronto currently sends 120 trucks of
garbage to Michigan each day, the equi-
valent of 1.25 million tonnes per year. At
$117 (Cdn) per tonne, the cost for ship-
ping Toronto's garbage adds up to about
$146 million per year.-
The tenability of this arrangement is
uncertain, as Michigan residents and
politicians continue to express displea-
sure with this cross-border dumping,'
and some are actively seeking its cessa-
tion.^ Besides the prospective problem of
Michigan closing its borders to our
waste, there is the immediate issue of tbe
noxious emissions from the additional
120 transport trucks travelling on our
highways every day.
Diversion
In Siem Reap, waste diversion is a regu-
lar practice. Householders often sell
recyclable items (such as scrap metal,
paper, glas.s, cans, and plastics) to itiner-
ant buyers or recycling depots. The
University of Toronto research team
found very few recyclables in the Siem
Reap waste stream.
Again, the situation in Toronto is
quite different. Toronto's comprehensive
blue box and grey bin programs together
diverted 150,000 tonnes of material
from the residential waste stream in
2004.' However, there is still significant
room for improvement; studies in 2000
and 2003 indicate that recycling
programs capture 60 percent ofthe recy-
clables in Toronto's single-family
dwellings, and only 30 percent of recy-
clables in multifamily dwellings." Tbe
rest end up in the waste stream. In a city
tbat has a comprehensive collection
program for recyclables, tbere is little
excuse for throwing out such a high
percentage of all recyclable material.
Wben it comes to the diversion of
organic materials, Toronto has taken a
significant step in introdticing the Green
Bin organics collection program. By the
end of 2005, all households receiving
curbside waste collection services also
received Green Bin collection, and it is
hoped that apartment residents will also
bave access to Green Bins in the near
future. The City of Toronto hopes to
divert 110,000 tonnes of waste annually
with tbis program.'
In Siem Reap, about one-third of
households currently compost some of
their organic waste. Since 66 percent of
the waste produced in this community
is organic, there is great potential to
increase waste diversion through
programs that encourage more people
to compost." As evidenced in both Siem
Reap and in Toronto, planning for
different types of waste diversion is an
important part of ensuring sustainable
waste management.
Awareness
Despite tbese differences, both Siem
Reap and Toronto have something in
common - a need for increased public
awareness and understanding of waste
management issues. In Siem Reap, local
leaders seem to bave an appreciation for
the health as well as the environmental
imperatives of providing waste collec-
tion services. However, many of the resi-
dents have an incomplete understanding
ofthe problems associated with current
waste disposal practices, and some are
reluctant to participate and pay for
waste collection services.
The University of Phnom Penh has
recently carried out an environmental
education program in the community
around Siern Reap. This educational
Gulf
of
Thailand
Alternatives Journal
program was directed toward local
authorities, residents, monks and teach-
ers. The program explained the concept
of community-based waste manage-
ment, and described the effects of solid
waste on the environment and human
health and well being. Foliow-up surveys
indicate that environmental awareness,
willingness to participate in the project,
and willingness to pay for waste collec-
tion services have all increased as a result
of this educational program.
At first glance, it may seem that
Torontonians are highly educated about
waste and environmental issues. Toronto
has run numerous educational
campaigns for its programs and services,
and environmentaiism is emerging as a
pervasive element of the popular
culture.
However, Toronto's relative environ-
mental performance suggests that these
messages have not fully been absorbed.
Tbe community in Siem Reap generates
0.34 kg of waste per capita on a daily
basis," whereas Torontonians daily
produce an astonishing 1.0 kg of waste
per capita.' Torontonians have much to
learn about the effects of our high rates
of consumption, particularly with
respect to the growing problem of waste
management.
The researchers in Gambodia found
that a community-based approach to
waste-management could be feasible.
South
China Sea
32:1 2006 17
especially when launched in concert
with an environmcntiil awareness
program. In fact, this type of locally
responsive solution is probably the best
way to ensure that community residents
are involved and invested in the envi-
ronmental issues of most relevance to
their communities.
An organization has been formed in
the Siem Reap community for the
purpose of designing and implementing
a community-based waste management
project. Although this project's success is
not guaranteed, local leaders and
researchers are optimistic about its
potential.
The Siem Reap case study can provide
a lesson for Toronto. An important
clement of community-based waste
management is local accountability.
When a small community takes on this
type of large-scale initiative, full
participation is in everyone's best
interest. Perhaps there is a way for
Torontonians to become equally
invested in the success of that city's waste
management initiatives.
Increased awareness ofthe long-term
impacts of waste on our environment,
18 Alternatives Journal 32:1
our health and our economy is the only
way to convince Torontonians of the
need to reduce their waste generation
drastically. It is not enough that we are
provided with the means to reduce
reuse, and recycle; we also have to
choose to do so.
If garbage is a snapshot of what is
really going on, then the picture for
Toronto and other large North Ameri-
can cities isn't pretty. We need to adjust
the focus in order to develop a new
vision for waste management - and we
may have a lot to learn from the experiences
ofa small community in Cambodia. ^^
Knie Parizam is a PhD candidate
studying geography and environmental
health al the University of Toronto. She
was part ofthe research team in Siem
Reap, and is continuing her research into
waste management issues in the
developing world.
Notes
' Lfii hy Mr. Lay Chufilhy nfRUI'l'. T'lin.^Uiiiiiii inut
research amstance jor ihii work were provided by Mr.
Phourng Una oj the local Department nj the
Environment's Office for Pollution Control.
' City ofTorotito. "Facts About Toroiilo'i Trash"
2006
'..www.city.torotmi.oti.cii> (Novi-mher Itt, 2()t)5, aavssecl
January 14. 20061.
' IX Hiikiin. "Surge in Troili from Toronto Upseh Tiny
Miihigan Town," The New York Times (jiinuitry 19,
2003).
* CBC News, "Washington Bilk Could Ban Toronto
Traih" <www.cbc.ca/loromo> Duly 14, 2005, accessed
July 14. 20051.
" City of Toronto "Facts" (note 2j.
" Public Works, City of Toronto, "City of Toronto's
Hitrategyfor Iticreming ihe Recovery oj Reiyclables in
Toronto" (2004, prepared for Stewardship Ontario).
" City of Toronto, "Green Bin Program"
<WK'w.cityAorcnto.on.ca>l20O5, accessed Jan. 14, 2006}.
" K. Parizeau. V. Maclaren. and L. Chanthy, "Waste
Characierization as an FJement of Waste Management
Planning: Lessons Learned trom a Study in Siem Reap.
Cambodia," Resources, Conservation, and Recycling
(forthcoming).
' Ibid.
'" Toronto Communily Foundation, VitalSigns 2Q0t:
Residential Waste ^www.tcf.ca> 12001, accessed March
M 2(H)5l.
The University of Toronto's Waste-Econ
website contains reports on a number of
waste management research projects in
Southeast Asia:
www.utoronto.ca/waste-econ
The City of Toronto website provides a wealth
of information on the city's garbage statistics
and waste management services:
www.city.toronto.on.ca/garbage