can drop off materials for recycling and composting, as well as garbage for disposal in the ... BLUE BOX ... free to pai
Halton Waste Management Site
As we take a tour of the Halton Waste Management Site (HWMS), we’ll see why it’s Halton Region’s “one-stop solution” for the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle), yard waste composting, the safe disposal of household hazardous waste, and of course, garbage disposal. Let’s explore the different areas of the Site and see how we can participate in diversion efforts to help reduce the need for landfilling. •1•
The
The first stop at the HWMS is the Scalehouse. Here vehicles are weighed in and out with the help of a sophisticated computer system. The computer system tells the Scalehouse operator how much to charge the customers dropping off material, and helps the operator keep track of how much material comes into the Site. •2•
The
YARD WASTE
GENERAL WASTE
BLUE BOXS MATERIAL
After a quick stop at the Scalehouse, most customers will go to the Container Station. Here people can drop off materials for recycling and composting, as well as garbage for disposal in the landfill. Wood dropped off at the Container Station is ground up. It is reused on-site to cover the garbage in the landfill and for dust and mud control on Site roads. In addition to the Container Station facility, residents can also drop off brick and rubble material for reuse at the Site’s rubble pile. The rubble is reused on Site for helping to construct roads and other new surfaces. It is important to separate your items before arriving at the Site in order to speed up the sorting of the materials into the various bins. •3•
The
PAINT REUSE DEPOT
Next door to the Container Station is the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Depot and the Paint & Stain Reuse Depot. At the HHW Depot, Halton residents can safely dispose of and recycle household hazardous material that should never be poured down a drain or storm sewer, or thrown in the garbage. The Paint & Stain Reuse Depot contains good reusable paint and stain customers can take away for free to paint their bedrooms, hallways and homes. Can you think of a hazardous product that shouldn’t be put in the landfill? (Hint: one item is something you might put on walls.)
(Answer: Paint, oil, batteries, fluorescent tubes and bulbs, and pool chemicals)
•4•
The
In front of the HHW Depot is the Site’s Reuse Depot. The Reuse Depot provides residents with another great opportunity to divert waste by allowing them to drop off unwanted but reusable items, such as clothing, books, furniture and toys. Reusable items are sold and the money raised will fund community projects.
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At the heart of the Site are the Administration and Maintenance buildings. Here the staff work hard to maintain equipment, review test results of our monitoring stations and make sure that the Site is being operated properly to protect the environment. Both the Administration and Maintenance buildings have been designed to look more like farm buildings, so they will blend into the neighbouring farming environment.
•6•
The
At the Site’s Compost Facility, the leaves, sticks, twigs and branches collected as yard waste at the curb, is composted. The yard waste is chipped and placed in large piles called “windrows.” A large loader is used to turn and add air into the piles. Rain is collected in a pond and is sprayed on the windrows to keep the compost moist. This helps tiny bugs you need a microscope to see, to break down the yard waste into dark, nutrient rich compost. While the “bugs” munch away, they give off so much heat the inside of the piles can reach temperatures up to 70°C. They get so hot that in the cooler months, steam can be seen rising from the piles. •7•
The
Now that we’ve had a chance to see how the HWMS encourages the 3Rs, we’ve reached the last stop on our tour—the landfill. This is where items come as a last resort and where the truck that may have collected your garbage brings it. After the garbage is unloaded onto the ground, I, “Captain Crush” perform the very important role of spreading it and pressing it down, using my big steel toothed wheels. This ensures as much garbage as possible fits into the approved landfill space. At the end of the day, the garbage is covered by my friend the bulldozer with a six-inch layer of soil or other cover material, to make sure it doesn’t blow away and birds and animals can’t get at it. •8•
Safety is very important at the landfill, so all workers carry walkie-talkies and wear safety vests, safety boots and hard hats to protect them and keep them visible. The HWMS also has a great way of keeping seagulls from thinking the landfill would be a nice place to visit for lunch. There is a full time bird-control person on Site, who uses a trained bird named Xena, “bangers” (like firecrackers) and loud speakers that play sounds of seagulls in distress to scare away the seagulls from the landfill. •9•
Protecting the environment is very important to us. We regularly take samples and test the water, soil and air at the HWMS to keep the environment safe. These monitoring programs will continue even after the landfill is closed, so we can make sure we’re keeping the environment safe. •10•
When garbage slowly decomposes in the landfill, it creates methane. Methane is an odourless gas that contributes to climate change and global warming. A Landfill Gas Collection and Utilization Facility is used to pull gases out of the buried garbage. A large vacuum is connected to pipes buried in the landfill, which sends the gas to the Facility where it can be used to create electricity. Enough “green electricity” is generated every day to power up to 1,500 homes. •11•
Thanks for taking the tour of the HWMS with me, Captain Crush
I hope you enjoyed exploring all the great waste diversion and disposal programs that the HWMS has to offer. The HWMS and its programs encourage the use of the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle). We also practice a fourth “R,” Responsible Operation, which is an important part of our efforts to protect the local environment and keep the HWMS safe and beautiful for all of our customers, visitors and employees.
Name 4 things you can do to promote the 3Rs: 1) _____________________________________
3) _____________________________________
2) _____________________________________
4) _____________________________________ •12•
Fun Facts about the HWMS Did you know? • HWMS was the first landfill in Canada to use rubberized asphalt to pave the four km of on site access road (35,000 scrap tires were used in the process). • HWMS was the first landfill in Canada that used wind tunnel analysis in its site design to minimize wind-blown litter. • HWMS was the first landfill in Ontario that had an on site Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Depot open six days per week. • The Site is approximately 126 ha in size, of which 52 ha are approved for landfilling (that’s about 87 football fields). The rest of the area is used for support facilities and buffer. • Rainwater and snowmelt from the roofs of the Administration and Maintenance buildings are collected in an underground tank and used for equipment washing and lawn and garden watering! • Approximately 75 per cent of the hazardous materials that are brought to the Household Hazardous Waste Depot are recycled! •13•
HWMS Sorting Activity really s i h t Is bage? gar should
Draw a line from the item to the correct location for recycling (Blue Box), composting (GreenCart), or reuse.
e Wher go? it
Answers on page 20. •14•
HWMS Word Search
Words to Find: Blue Box Compactor Compost Containers
Environment
Kitchen Catcher
Food Garbage GreenCart
Litterless Lunch Papers
Recycle Reduce Reuse Truck Yard Waste Answers on page 20.
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HWMS Word Scramble Unscramble the words below to discover their true meaning. Clue: The pictures will help you figure out the scrambled words!
1. ahkw
c
2. cyecrl 3. gbgraae 4. rbezldolu 5. lbeu xbo 6. nerge tarc 7. dyra stewa 8. eouheslsca Answers on page 20. •16•
HWMS Crossword ACROSS
DOWN
1. Name of compost bin
4. The 3Rs
2. Corrosive, explosive, flammable and poisonous materials
5. Sticks, twigs and leaves from gardens
3. A lunch that creates no waste
4
6. Name of recycle bin 7. Where garbage is disposed 5
1 6
7 2
3 Answers at back of booklet
Answers on page 20. •17•
Classroom Discussion Reusing Materials Have students name three ways the items listed below can be re-used, instead of throwing them away. (Items can be used in whole or in part). • cardboard box • glass jar • plastic bag
• plastic milk carton • wooden board • newspaper
For example, a glass jar could be used as a vase. A plastic bag could be used to carry items to school, or to collect pet waste, or as a garbage bin liner. Newspaper could be used in papier mache.
Supermarket Showdown Have students discuss different food items found at a supermarket, and the number of wrappings (boxes, bags, plastic wrap, bowls/trays, etc.) each food item is sold in. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Food items with no packaging (apples, pears, etc.) Food items with one layer of packaging (bread, etc.) Food items with two layers of packaging (cereal [box, bag], etc.) Food items with three or more layers of packaging (frozen dinners [box, plastic wrap, tray], etc.)
Ask students why some products may come in more than one layer of packaging. Is there a way some products could use less packaging? Is there a reason why producers would chose to use more than one layer of packaging?
Other Discussion Topics • What ways can this class improve its waste diversion efforts? • How can students promote recycling within the school? • What are some of the things you do at home to practice the 3Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle? • What can students do to encourage their families to recycle?
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Quiz Below is a fun quiz to test your memory. What do you think – true or false? 1. True or False
The Scalehouse uses a computer system to help weigh vehicles.
2. True or False
At the Container Station, customers can throw items into one bin, all together.
3. True or False
It is unsafe to pour chemicals down a drain or storm sewer.
4. True or False
Bringing items to the Reuse Depot isn’t helpful.
5. True or False
Buildings at the HWMS look like rocket ships.
6. True or False
At the HWMS Compost Facility, the piles of yard waste are very cold.
7. True or False
The landfill is the last option for dealing with waste.
8. True or False
Workers could wear flip-flops at the HWMS.
9. True or False
The HWMS uses a trained bird to scare away seagulls.
10. True or False Water, soil and air is tested regularly at the HWMS. 11. True or False Methane gas doesn’t harm the environment.
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Answers Sorting Activity - page 14
HWMS Word Search - page 15
HWMS Crossword - page 17
HWMS Word Scramble - page 16 1) hawk 2) recycle 3) garbage 4) bulldozer 5) bluebox 6) compost 7) yardwaste 8) scalehouse
True False Quiz - Page 19 1. True 2. False 3. True 4. False •20•
5. False 6. False 7. True 8. False
9. True 10. True 11. False
Halton Region Dial 311 or 905-825-6000 Toll free 1-866-4HALTON (1-866-442-5866) TTY 905-827-9833 www.halton.ca
