Responsible Garbage Disposal Tips

Lake users have a unique set of challenges when it comes to garbage. Whether you’re an island dweller, a lakeside cottager or a recreational visitor, the way you handle your garbage can help protect our environment.

What Goes in Must Come Out!

To keep our land, air and water clean, we all need to make every effort to reduce and reuse. When you reduce, reuse, recycle and compost, your garbage will be significantly reduced. The remaining garbage does however need to be disposed of in a responsible and legal manner. Always take your garbage to your local waste management site.

Avoid Garbage Mistakes

Some garbage handling practices common to rural areas can have a direct negative impact on the health of lakes and rivers and should be avoided.

Burning garbage, especially plastics or oil based products,  releases harmful chemicals into the air and ultimately into our waterways.

Garbage left out in the open or tossed at the side of the road will attract wild animals, destroy the physical beauty of our lakes and could present environmental
hazards to our land and waterways for years to come.

Burying garbage contaminates the environment and is not an effective way of getting rid of garbage. Even materials like paper can just sit there for decades without breaking down. Decomposing garbage releases methane, an extremely damaging greenhouse gas. Garbage also oozes liquids called leach ate that can pollute our land and lakes.

Make Smart Garbage Choices

Don’t buy more than you need.

Buy durable products and extend their life with proper maintenance and repair.

Borrow or rent things you don’t expect to use often.

Avoid throwing out plastic.

Use plastic products more than once and use reusable food containers not plastic
wrap or plastic bags.

Avoid excess packaging.

Choose large containers instead of several small ones.

Buy concentrates and bulk foods when you can Return beer, alcohol and
wine bottles

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