What I learned from city strike

We produce too much garbage, litter and packaging
I am doing my own waste audit to see how I can improve
By Kris Scheuer
(Column originally published in Town Crier Aug. 4)

Something stinks in the “state” of Toronto and it’s not just the garbage strike.
As a city hall reporter and lifelong Torontonian, here is my trash talk on garbage, litter and my top observations during the nearly six week labour unrest.
Number 1: we produce way too much waste, folks.
We deposited a total of 25,000 tonnes of waste in 26 temporary, neighbourhood garbage dumps, Geoff Rathbone, head of solid waste management told reporters on July 30.
Let’s think about that for a sec. The dumps opened June 25, some of them, such as Christie Pits, closed a mere 11 days later because they were at capacity. The amount of garbage we threw out at these dumps doesn’t even include the tonnes thrown out at seven waste transfer stations.

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The good, the bad and the smelly

Evidence from garbage strike is we still have long way to go in conservation quest
(Originally written July 17 by Kris Scheuer for Town Crier.)

Conservation and consumption.
There’s both good news and a shocking reality check when it comes to how much we conserve and consume in Toronto.
We are becoming more aware of ways we can cut back on our use of everything from energy to plastic bags.
But on the other hand, the garbage strike that hit the city at midnight June 22 made it oh so obvious that we are still producing far too much waste.
While it’s true that as the clock struck midnight, it had been two weeks since the last regularly scheduled garbage pickup for some folks, there were already reports of people illegally dumping waste in parks like Christie Pits on day 1 of the strike.

New garbage dumps during city strike

There’s 24 trash sites including three new ones opening tomorrow
But five locations at capacity, leaving just 19 for legal dumping

By Kris Scheuer
(For July 24 update on open and shut dumps, click here.)
It’s day 24 of Toronto’s strike. Here’s the latest on where to throw trash legally.
The newspaper I work for the Town Crier posted an updated map of all locations.
I have also listed them all below. Temporary dump sites:

Christie Pits dump now closed

Residents bring trash to add to pile at Christie Pits.

View from Christie Pits dump July 5/09.

By Kris Scheuer
When I visited Christie Pits temporary garbage dump today, the first thing I noticed was the sour stench.
It comes at you in waves, but got especially potent just yards away from the outdoor rink that holds thousands upon thousands of bags of waste dumped here legally since June 25.
The city announced this site will be officially closed at 7 p.m. as it’s at capacity. Around 4:30 p.m. there was still a steady flow of residents pulling up on Crawford Ave, the west border of this park, to dump more trash before the gates are closed.
All photos by Kris Scheuer.

Christie Pits dump closes

The local trash site is at capacity, city to spray to ward off pests

By Kris Scheuer
Day 14 of the Toronto strike and by 7 p.m. today the temporary neighbourhood dump will close at Christie Pits.
I am going to check it out today and see what’s happening.
The city has been blocked from spraying pesticides at this location, by picketers, according to a July 4 press release.
On Friday, Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health Dr. David McKeown ordered the city to remove standing water from the trash that is sitting there rotting in the summer heat and to spray to keep animals and insects at bay.
The city was blocked form carrying out that order and was granted an injunction by the Ontario Superior Court yesterday.
Read the city’s complete July 4 statement here.
Friends of Christie Pits Park has its own website and has been gathering names for a petition for some weeks now to stop the park from being used as a dump site in the first place.
Meanwhile no garbage is being removed from this dump site, even though it will be closed, until the strike is over.
For a full list of all the city-authorized mini dumps during the strike click here.