Chemical Wastes
How we handle today’s garbage can have a major impact on the well-being of the community for years to come. Chemical wastes are a growing concern all over North America, in part because we do not know much about them. Since 1945, thousands of new chemicals have been released for legal use. Almost no research has been done about how they combine in the environment and very little is known about their long term impacts on the environment and human health. Manufacturers, most farmers, and lawn maintenence companies in Woolwich all use chemicals daily. Chemicals are also produced in Woolwich by Uniroyal and Sulco. Our challenge is to value the contribution of chemicals to our economy and to do everything possible to ensure that they do not contaminate the air, food, and water that we depend on for our health.

Blue Box Recycling
Since the late 1980’s, recycling through Blue Boxes, regional recycling facilities and the support of household composting boxes, has become an important part of waste management strategies for municipalities, including the Region of Waterloo. Now, 20 years later, we are dealing with the limitations of recycling. Fluctuating markets for recycled materials mean that recycling programs sometimes cost more money that they save, at least in the short term. This is not a reason to stop recycling, but it does strongly encourage us to put more effort into the other two "R’s" of waste management: reduction (cutting down on what we can’t cut out) and re-use (finding new uses for idle goods). In our community survey, people suggested 27 different ways to improve reduction of waste in Woolwich Township.