Pickering Wins Waste Reduction Challenge Over Ajax Pickering, October 25th, 2005 - Recently, the City of Pickering and the Town of Ajax held a friendly one-day Corporate Challenge to determine whose municipal hall produced the least amount of garbage. This annual corporate challenge is held to promote awareness throughout the community and to municipal staff about consumption and disposal of materials. The City of Pickering and the Town of Ajax joined many communities across Canada in proclaiming October 17th - 23rd as Waste Reduction Week. The theme of Waste Reduction Week is "Too Good To Waste". This initiative is meant to bring attention to the importance of being a sustainable community through waste reduction and resource conservation," explains Chantal Whitaker, Coordinator, Environmental Awareness Programs for the City of Pickering. Waste generated from both municipal halls was collected and weighed; results were calculated based on the number of staff working in the building. The Town of Ajax municipal hall generated 10.9 kilograms of waste working out to 198 grams per staff person. Pickering's municipal hall produced 9.16 kilograms of waste working out to 65 grams per person making it the 2005 winner! As a result of losing the challenge, the Town of Ajax's Mayor and Council will watch as the City of Pickering's Mayor and Members of Council hoist their Pickering flag at Ajax's townhall on Monday, October 31st at 10:00 am.
"The corporate challenge is a fun way to bring awareness to a serious issue," said Mayor David Ryan. "There is a common misperception that we have a never-ending supply of resources, which has led to Canadians producing more than 31 million tonnes of waste annually. To meet the Regional goal of diverting 50 per cent of residual waste we all have to do our part."
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