I am pleased to share with you the results of the Activity-Based Costing Study supported by Consumers Glass. Specifically I believe that it will prove to be an invaluable tool in demonstrating the fact that container glass is a material that can carry itself financially in a range of curbside multi-material recycling programs.
Activity-Based Costing will prove useful in dispelling myths, misconceptions and misunderstandings around the overall approach to balancing the equation around solid waste management issues.
An article on the Activity-Based Costing Report is in this issue.
I would encourage municipalities and recycling operators to investigate the potential of the ABC approach for their own municipal solid waste program.
Building on our research in our Winter 1995 issue, we have made available more data on end markets in the form of details charts on pages 1 and 3. End markets for recycled container glass across Canada show that we would like more container glass than the recycling system is currently supplying. Recycling programs, curbside or otherwise are currently underutilized. Our ability to increase our recycled content as part of our Product Stewardship Program is limited by supply. Our demand far exceeds what Canadian markets can supply today. We, industry and government, need to work together to divert as much glass as possible to reinforce the economic benefit that diversion from landfill creates.
Slowly but surely recyclers are proving that recycling is not a burden on the municipal coffers but an opportunity for sustainable growth that benefits the community. And I, for one, am pleased that their search in that pile of waste has netted recycling as the Holy Grail. Maybe some archeologists should take a lesson from our recyclers... It's just a thought.
Doug Symington is Public Affairs Director for Consumers Glass. He is available at 416-232-3214 or by fax at 416-232-3378.
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