Central Newfoundland Solid Waste Management Committee receives
Waste Management Trust Fund grant

Kevin Aylward, Minister of Environment, and Gordon Seabright, chairperson of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB), are pleased to announce a grant of $279,000 under the Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund to the Central Newfoundland Solid Waste Management Committee.

This waste management committee, which represents 108 communities in central Newfoundland, has received funding from the trust fund to conduct Phase II of their regional waste management study. This is the final phase of the project and encompasses the investigation of; landfill alternatives, transfer station options, materials recycling and composting facility alternatives. The study also includes the development of a conceptual design for a regional landfill site for central Newfoundland and the close out requirements for all existing sites in the region.

Phase II of this study continues the work conducted last year by the Central Newfoundland Solid Waste Management Committee. In 2001, with a $72,000 grant from the Waste Management Trust Fund the committee reviewed and evaluated the solid waste management needs of the region.

"Government�s Waste Management Strategy is designed to ensure the planning and development of waste management strategies are done by the people in the regions," said Minister Aylward.

"The partnering of communities within regions will ensure strategies developed meet the needs of the people."

"Over the past three years, the Waste Management Trust Fund has provided assistance to community groups, municipalities, schools, and businesses to aid in the development and implementation of waste management initiatives in the province," said Gordon Seabright. "It is through these projects that we create public awareness about the importance of working together to build a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations."

"The approval of $279,000 from the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board will help us move to the final phase of our waste management study," said Edward Evans, Central Newfoundland Waste Management Committee. "The communities in the region are working closely together to help put an environmentally sound and affordable waste management system into place. This contribution helps expedite the process and allows us to continue with this development."

Since the Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund was established in 1999, government has approved 278 applications and approximately $7 million in contributions. This funding has been disbursed to 285 schools, more than 155 municipalities, 45 environmental and community groups, and several businesses and school districts.

For information on MMSB and the Waste Management Trust Fund contact: Karen O�Neill, Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, (709) 753-0949

Ministerial Statement

Media contact: Cynthia Layden Barron, Department of Environment, (709) 729-2575

2002 12 05                                        1:40 p.m.