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Toronto Struggles to Solve Looming Waste Disposal Crisis
23 Oct
Summary
- Toronto's main landfill to reach capacity by 2035
- No municipalities willing to host new landfill or accept Toronto's waste
- Incineration considered, but concerns over emissions and air quality
- Nova Scotia uses sprinklers to protect homes from wildfires
As of 2025-10-24T12:29:18+00:00, the City of Toronto is grappling with a growing waste disposal crisis. The city's main landfill site, the Green Lane Landfill near London, Ontario, is set to reach capacity by 2035. In a desperate attempt to find a solution, Toronto reached out to 378 municipalities within a 500-kilometer radius, but not a single one agreed to accept the city's waste or host a new landfill.
Extending the life of the current landfill is also problematic, as Indigenous communities near the site oppose any expansion due to the existing pollution and odors. Faced with this dilemma, Toronto is now considering incineration, or "energy-from-waste" – burning the waste and generating energy from it. However, the environmental impact of incineration remains a point of contention, with some arguing that modern landfills with methane capture systems may be a better option in terms of greenhouse gas emissions.
Meanwhile, in Nova Scotia, the province has been investing heavily in structure protection units to safeguard homes and infrastructure from wildfires. During the recent Lake George and Long Lake wildfires, the use of sprinklers proved highly effective, saving dozens of homes. The province plans to purchase more of these units, recognizing the growing threat of wildfires driven by climate change.
