5 big takeaways from Ontario County’s new solid waste plan – Fingerlakes1.com

Report on Ontario County’s Local Solid Waste Management Plan and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Ontario County has released its draft Local Solid Waste Management Plan (LSWMP), a 10-year strategic framework designed to transition the region’s waste management system towards long-term sustainability. The plan’s primary catalyst is the scheduled closure of the Ontario County Landfill on December 31, 2028. This report analyzes the key components of the LSWMP, with a significant emphasis on its alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Strategic Transition Aligned with Global Sustainability Targets

The LSWMP represents a fundamental shift from a linear disposal model to a circular economy approach, directly supporting several key SDGs. The plan prioritizes waste prevention, resource recovery, and responsible management, which are central tenets of global sustainability efforts.

Pillar 1: Building Sustainable Infrastructure and Communities (SDG 11)

The impending landfill closure necessitates a comprehensive overhaul of the county’s waste infrastructure, a critical step toward achieving SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), particularly Target 11.6, which focuses on improving municipal waste management.

• Landfill Decommissioning: The cessation of operations at the Seneca-based landfill, which has been active since 1974, marks the end of an era and forces a transition to more sustainable, long-term solutions.
• Infrastructure Analysis: A proposed “Residuals Audit and Facility Needs Analysis” will assess the county’s transfer stations and Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) to ensure future infrastructure is efficient, resilient, and provides equitable service access for all residents.
• Regional Logistics: Post-2028, non-recoverable waste will be exported, requiring new logistical frameworks and partnerships with neighboring counties, reinforcing the need for sustainable regional planning.

Pillar 2: Fostering Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12)

The plan is explicitly structured around New York State’s waste management hierarchy, which prioritizes waste prevention and reduction, directly contributing to SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and its Target 12.5 to substantially reduce waste generation.

1. Waste Reduction and Reuse: New programs are designed to minimize waste at its source.
   • Establishment of a Reuse Trail and Repair Café network to extend product lifecycles.
   • Implementation of textile recovery and food-waste prevention programs in schools and institutions.
   • Introduction of Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) pilot programs to create a direct financial incentive for waste reduction.
2. Organics Recovery for Climate Action (SDG 13): Recognizing that organic materials are a major component of the waste stream, the plan makes their recovery a central strategy. This initiative supports SDG 13 (Climate Action) by diverting organic waste from landfills, thereby reducing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
   • Development of a countywide Organics Management Plan utilizing composting and anaerobic digestion.
   • Expansion of food scrap drop-off pilots and school composting programs.
   • Exploration of a regional organics processing facility in partnership with other counties.

Pillar 3: Enhancing Accountability and Partnerships (SDG 17)

Effective implementation requires robust data, public engagement, and strong partnerships, reflecting the principles of SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

• Data-Driven Governance: The plan addresses a critical data gap by proposing stronger reporting requirements for private waste haulers and the creation of a public-facing dashboard to track progress on waste diversion and recycling rates.
• Education and Outreach: The Department of Sustainability and Solid Waste Management will lead enhanced educational initiatives, including new school curricula and expanded multilingual outreach, to empower residents to participate in waste reduction efforts.
• Collaborative Implementation: The plan acknowledges implementation challenges, including staffing capacity. It calls for strengthening the public-private partnership with Casella Waste Services and fostering interdepartmental and inter-county collaborations to share resources and expertise, ensuring the plan’s successful execution.

Conclusion: A Framework for a Circular Economy

Ontario County’s draft LSWMP provides a comprehensive roadmap for transitioning away from landfill dependency toward a circular model of resource management. By integrating strategies for waste reduction, organics recovery, and data-driven accountability, the plan not only addresses local operational needs but also makes a direct and measurable contribution to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those related to sustainable communities, responsible consumption, and climate action.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in Ontario County’s Waste Management Plan

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The article focuses on Ontario County’s plan to manage its solid waste sustainably, a critical component of creating sustainable communities. The closure of the landfill and the development of a new 10-year framework for waste management directly address the need for environmentally sound urban and regional planning.

• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

  This is the most central SDG in the article. The plan’s emphasis on New York State’s “Beyond Waste” hierarchy—prioritizing waste prevention, reuse, and recycling over disposal—is a direct application of responsible consumption and production principles. Initiatives like the Reuse Trail, Repair Cafés, food-waste prevention programs, and Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) pilots are all designed to fundamentally change how resources are consumed and waste is generated.

• SDG 13: Climate Action

  The article explicitly connects waste management to climate action by stating that programs for organics diversion, such as composting and anaerobic digestion, would “help meet the state’s circular economy goals while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” Managing organic waste effectively prevents the release of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from landfills.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The article highlights the importance of collaboration. It mentions the existing “long-term public-private partnership with Casella Waste Services” and the county’s intent to “explore partnerships with other counties and local governments to share resources and expertise.” This demonstrates an understanding that achieving sustainability goals requires multi-stakeholder cooperation.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse environmental impact of cities

   By 2030, reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality and municipal and other waste management. The entire “Local Solid Waste Management Plan” is an effort to improve municipal waste management. The plan to close the landfill and shift to waste reduction, recycling, and organics recovery is a direct strategy to reduce the county’s environmental footprint from waste.

2. Target 12.3: Halve per capita global food waste

   By 2030, halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels. The article details several initiatives aimed squarely at this target, including a “residential food scrap drop-off pilot,” a “countywide organics management plan,” and “food-waste prevention programs targeting schools and institutions.”

3. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation

   By 2030, substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse. This target is the core of the county’s plan. The article states the goal is to “reduce disposal volumes significantly” through initiatives like the “Reuse Trail and Repair Café network,” “Textile recovery,” and “Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT) pilot programs,” all of which directly support waste prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse.

4. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into policies and planning

   Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. At a local level, Ontario County is integrating climate considerations into its waste management strategy. The plan’s focus on an “Organics Management Plan” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is a clear example of incorporating climate action into local government planning.

5. Target 17.17: Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships. The article identifies the county’s reliance on a “public-private partnership with Casella Waste Services” and its plan to seek further “partnerships with other counties and local governments.” This collaborative approach is essential for implementing the ambitious plan, especially given the acknowledged staffing and financial constraints.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Recycling and Waste Diversion Rates

   The article explicitly mentions the lack of consistent data because “private haulers aren’t required to report recycling tonnage.” To fix this, the plan proposes a “public dashboard to track recycling and waste diversion progress” and “stronger reporting requirements for haulers and municipalities.” This directly implies the use of recycling and diversion tonnage/rates as a key performance indicator to measure progress towards Target 12.5.

2. Volume of Organic Waste Diverted from Landfills

   The focus on a “residential food scrap drop-off pilot” and a “comprehensive Organics Management Plan” implies that the county will need to measure the amount of food and yard waste collected and processed through composting or anaerobic digestion. This would serve as a direct indicator for progress on Target 12.3.

3. Total Waste Disposal Volumes

   A primary goal of the plan is to “reduce disposal volumes significantly.” Tracking the total tonnage of non-recoverable waste that is transported to other landfills after the local facility closes in 2028 will be a critical indicator of the overall success of the waste reduction, reuse, and recycling programs, relating to Target 11.6 and Target 12.5.

Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: fingerlakes1.com