Diversion strategy reduces amount of garbage going to North Bay’s landfill

North Bay extends landfill life by curbing waste. 2025 hit a record low of 35,385 tonnes of waste. Eric Taschner explains.

Reducing the amount of waste ending up in the Merrick Landfill to extend its life is the name of the game for the City of North Bay.

Strategies include limiting the number of garbage bags being picked up on the curb and adding items that can be placed in the blue bin.

“We have wrappers, which are a big one. Plastics such as bags are a big one. Everything from dog food bags to coffee cups,” said Victoria Thomas, North Bay’s environmental control officer.

In 2025, 35,385 tonnes of waste headed to the landfill, a record low for domestic, commercial and non-hazardous industrial materials.

It continued a year-to-year downward trend in the amount of waste ending up in the landfill in the last five years.

“So back in 2005, we had a life expectancy of 2029 and our latest stat (says) that we’ve extended it to 2039,” Thomas said.

Total annual waste at the landfill was 38,740 tonnes in 1995, when it opened. By 2009, total waste had increased to 50,752 tonnes and remained above 40,000 tonnes until 2022.

Then the city began waste diversion efforts, including promotion, education and community outreach.

Expanded recylcing

“The momentum of seven years of Clean, Green, Beautiful litter pickups has changed our culture and we really have one of the cleanest cities in Canada,” said Hariett Madigan, founder of Clean, Green, Beautiful North Bay.

In recent years, the city expanded recycling in public places and city facilities. It was recognized with Municipal Waste Association Promotion and Education awards for its education programs in the past two years.

Last year, it won an award for increasing recycling in local arenas with the support of student volunteers and North Bay Battalion hockey players.

In 2024, city officials went into schools to teach students about the three Rs -- reduce, reuse and recycle.

“The students then gave posters to the city. We put them on our social media pages, really teaching the residents about different ways to divert,” Thomas said.

Madigan praised the city for its efforts, while emphasizing other ways people can use materials before considering throwing them away.

“There are more than 3 Rs. There are at least nine of them. People can repurpose, refurbish and re-think not just with plastics but other items you’re ready to throw out, like appliances,” she added.

The city says it plans to continue to strengthen waste diversion efforts, including messaging and community outreach.