Waste Management in Canada

Term Paper # 101040

Canadian Studies
Environmental Studies > Management

This paper examines the social factors that make waste disposal issues difficult in Canada.

986 words () | 5 sources | MLA | 2008 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper looks at how the not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) syndrome affects how sites for waste disposal facilities are located. The paper then examines particular problems facing landfills and incinerators. The paper shows how current waste disposal strategies in Canada are ineffective due to undesirable by-products and strong resistance to these facilities. The paper concludes that the most obvious solution to these problems would appear to be to adopt waste diversion programs like the ones being developed in Toronto.

From the Paper:

"To begin this discussion it is necessary to look at the social phenomena known as NIMBY syndrome. NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard(Meredith 480). When discussing NIMBY syndrome in "Assessing Environmental Impacts in Canada" Thomas Meredith states,
"...A society collectively accepts the need for a project, say a landfill site, an airport, or a nuclear power plant, but no one wants it near them" (Meredith 480)."
"In this sense NIMBY syndrome can be seen as a way in which land can be made socially unavailable for facilities like incinerators or landfills. This can be seen as a major contradiction because two totally different social and environmental factors are being expressed at the same time. Everyone knows that these facilities are necessary for society to function and are largely unwilling to live without them. However, they are also unwilling to live near the facilities that they desire. Since these two desires can't both be fulfilled it is necessary to look for other options."

Sample of Sources Used:

Ali, S Harris, "The Search for a Landfill Site in the Risk Society" in The Canadian Review of Sociology and Anthropology, Toronto, Vol.36, Iss.1, Feb.1999: 1-19.
Anonymous, "Liberal and Conservative Politicians Decry Hamilton Garbage Incinerator" in Canadian Press Newswire, Toronto,Oct.11, 2000: 1.
Maclaren, Virgina W., "Waste Management: Integrated Approaches" in Resource and Environmental Management in Canada, Third Edition, Bruce Mitchell(ed), Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2004: 371-397.
Meredith, Thomas, "Assessing Environmental Impacts in Canada" in Resource and Environmental Management in Canada, Third Edition, Bruce Mitchell(ed), Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2004: 467-496.
Mitchell, Bruce, "Incorporating Environmental Justice" in Resource and Environmental Management in Canada, Third Edition, Bruce Mitchell(ed), Oxford University Press, Toronto, 2004: 555-578.