Whereas the province of British Columbia has stringent regulations governing the disposal of municipal solid waste; And whereas the transportation of waste containing recyclables to the United States serves as a loophole in these regulations, undermining their effectiveness: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM advocates to the provincial government that any waste being exported to landfills outside of British Columbia must have the same rules and regulations applied as waste being received at landfills within BC.
Ministry of Environment and Parks The Province promotes effective and responsible solid waste management strategies that minimize the impacts of waste on the environment, human health and communities. In BC, the Environmental Management Act EMA requires that all regional districts prepare and submit a solid waste management plan SWMP to the ministry for approval. The decisions on how to manage waste disposal in a regional district are developed as part of the solid waste management planning process. Regional districts are required to consult with the public and First Nations before submitting the plan to the ministry. As part of the SWMP process, regional districts can ask for approval to import or export waste among jurisdictions, or to partner with other jurisdictions to share facilities or programs. Every regional district has unique circumstances that need to be considered as part of the SWMP planning process. The Province expects neighboring districts to consult and cooperate to ensure an efficient and effective municipal solid waste system. The Province is committed to ensuring all submitted SWMPs include ambitious waste disposal reduction targets and identify new opportunities for waste reduction, recycling and disposal while reducing greenhouse gases and promoting a circular economy.