Sustainable waste management is an ongoing concern for many Indigenous communities. There are several environmental issues (e.g., water and soil contamination, poor air quality) and challenges (e.g., insufficient capacity to implement effective waste management plans or collaborate on regional governance initiatives) that communities are confronted with when dealing with waste management. There is also a lack of understanding of the benefits of proper waste management. Although waste reduction, reuse, and recycling programs do not bring a considerable income, they free the land for other potential uses, prolong the life of your landfill (thus, saving you money on recapitalization), protect the environment (surface water, groundwater, air, and soil) and human health, create employment opportunities, increase social responsibility, and provide opportunities for Elder/youth mentoring. Additional waste processing elements - sorting, marketing, treating and reclaiming - can be added to the traditional waste hierarchy in Indigenous communities.

The website will be useful for Indigenous communities, tribal councils, partnering organizations, and other regional groups interested in undertaking waste management related initiatives in First Nations communities.  It includes an interactive map and descriptions of existing and past waste management projects, as well as different resources (including regulations, toolkits, and other educational materials)  that Indigenous communities can use to support their programs. ​

This website was developed and is maintained by the Centre for Indigenous Environmental Resources (CIER) with support from Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada   ​