The use of waste diversion indices on the analysis of Canadian waste management models

The performance of non-hazardous waste diversion models were examined in four Western Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. Between 1998 and 2014, economic outputs, expenditure and profits, and business sizes for both public and private waste services were studied. Three novel indicators were proposed: Waste Management Output Index, Diversion–GDP ratio, and Diversion–Expenditure ratio. British Columbia had the highest overall average diversion rate of 32.7%, while Alberta had the lowest non-residential diversion rate, despite private waste businesses making exceptional profit. Diversion rates alone failed to adequately describe the performance of Canadian waste management systems. The Waste Management Output Index increased with time in all provinces, suggesting the importance of economical outputs from waste management services. Results from the Diversion–GDP ratio showed that higher economic outputs did not appear to have an equally significant impact on diversion. Cost-effectiveness of the systems as measured by the Diversion–Expenditure ratio was constant or slightly declining over the study period. Investigation regarding profit revealed differences between the government and business sectors. Private firms increased in Alberta, doubling between 1998 and 2014. The results of this study highlight the potential benefits of the proposed indices on the evaluation of waste management systems.