NLIS 4
October 14, 2005
(Environment and Conservation)
Newfoundland and Labrador
celebrates Waste Reduction Week
Too Good to Waste! is the theme of Waste
Reduction Week, being celebrated October 17 - 23. The Department of Environment
and Conservation and MMSB encourage all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to
participate in activities and events at home, work, and school that focus on
reducing the amount of waste produced, towards a goal of waste-free living.
Each year in Newfoundland and Labrador we throw 480,000 tonnes of garbage into
our local dumps which is approximately two kilograms per person per day. That�s
far too much to ignore. By reducing the amount of waste produced in the first
instance we are conserving resources and limiting the need to reuse or recycle.
Waste Reduction Week serves as a reminder of the role we all play in helping to
reduce the amount of waste generated in the province.
�The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is striving to reduce the amount of
waste
generated in our province through progressive new waste management practices,"
said Tom Osborne, Minister of Environment and Conservation. "We have launched a
number of exciting new initiatives in support of our overall goal to reduce the
amount of waste going to our landfills by 50 per cent, including new cardboard
and paper recycling programs throughout the province and a major province-wide
campaign on backyard composting. We will continue to champion these efforts as a
means of protecting our environment for present and future generations.�
Waste Reduction Week is a national initiative which aims to inform and engage
Canadians about wasteful practices and their environmental and social
ramifications. Newfoundland and Labrador joins this initiative by distributing
resource kits providing tips on reducing, reusing and recycling in addition to
educational and promotional materials and activities.
"MMSB is encouraging all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to think of recycling
as part of a much larger picture - waste reduction. Many people are already
recycling but we encourage them to consider what they are throwing away and the
environmental impact it is causing. Their efforts will contribute to the
achievement of our overall waste reduction goals," said John Scott, chair and
CEO of MMSB.
MMSB is a provincial Crown agency that reports to the Minister of Environment
and Conservation. MMSB supports modern waste management practices in the
province, with a particular focus on waste diversion, recycling and public
education, in order to ensure a clean and healthy environment throughout
Newfoundland and Labrador.
For additional WRW information, contact MMSB at 1-800-901-MMSB or on-line at
www.mmsb.nf.ca. You can also visit the
national Waste Reduction Week in Canada site at
www.wrwcanada.com.
Media contact:
Deborah Slade, MMSB, (709) 753-0949
Sonia B. Glover, Environment and Conservation, (709) 729-2575, 685-6612
2005 10 14
12:00 noon |