Increase in the government charge for the disposal of residual materials: has your company anticipated this cost increase?

Have you noticed a drastic price increase on your waste disposal bills in the last month? The charge payable for the disposal of residual materials is adjusted on January 1st of each year according to governmental decree. This means that as of January 1, 2023, for every metric ton you generate in landfill, you will be charged a $30.00 tax, which can represent a significant amount of money for your business.

Concretely, what does the increase in the fee represent on your invoices?

The Quebec government’s regulation respecting the charges payable for the disposal of residual materials results in a landfill tax imposed by the government to encourage businesses to divert as much waste as possible from landfill through recycling and recovery. Thus, all operators of disposal sites must pay to the government a fee each time they receive residual materials intended for landfilling. Your service provider therefore collects this same tax from your company for the management of your waste.

According to Équiterre statistics, the quantity of covering waste sent to engineered landfill sites (LET) increased by 26% between 2008 and 2019. This significant increase explains the new government measures concerning the Regulation respecting the charges payable for disposal of residual materials, which can be summarized as follows:

  • Increase in the fee for the disposal of residual materials from $24.32/metric ton (2022) to $30.00/metric ton (2023);
  • Annual indexation of $2.00/metric ton for the years 2024 and 2025;
  • Application of partial charges on residual materials used as daily covering in disposal sites.

What solutions are available to your business?

The good news is that it is possible to reduce your bill. Taking concrete actions to optimize the management of your industrial waste has several advantages:

  • Cost reduction: reviewing your established processes and your service contracts in a dynamic of optimization is an opportunity to generate significant savings on the management of your residual materials;
  • Additional revenue: by appropriately sorting your residual materials, you could – depending on the materials generated – increase the quantity of recovered materials and generate revenue by selling them, while reducing the cost of transportation and disposal;
  • Better environmental record: optimizing your practices and taking concrete steps to reduce the quantity of waste sent to landfill sites contribute directly to your company’s environmental performance from a sustainable development perspective;
  • Mobilization and reputation: good management of your residual materials positions your company as a responsible economic player, whose values are aligned with eco-responsible practices, both with your employees and your customers.

Entrusting the work to S3R, expert consultants in waste management, is a safe and efficient way to implement these different measures and optimize the results. Contact us to discuss your current situation: info@s3r.ca