Funding was announced today to support the Burin Peninsula Waste Management Corporation. The Honourable Clyde Jackman, Minister of Environment and Conservation, and John Scott, chair and CEO of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB), announced the approval of $50,000. Funding comes from the Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund that is administered by MMSB.

Minister Jackman presented a cheque to the corporation to support their mandate and activities, including expenses associated with the employment of a regional waste management coordinator.

Minister Jackman praised the initiative taken by communities on the Burin Peninsula to come together to tackle their waste management challenges. "The provincial waste management strategy identified a regional approach as the most cost-effective and appropriate way of addressing the province�s waste management needs in an environmentally-responsible and sustainable manner over the long-term, especially in rural areas," said the minister. "I commend the Burin Peninsula Waste Management Corporation for being proactive and assure them of the support of this government as they adopt more progressive waste management practices throughout the peninsula, including the introduction of new recycling and other important waste diversion initiatives."

Cyril Dodge, chair of the Burin Peninsula Waste Management Corporation, accepted the cheque from Minister Jackman. "Communities on the Burin Peninsula are committed to providing effective services to their residents, and we clearly recognize the need to come together as a region to deal with both the short-term and longer term waste management issues before us. Operating in isolation from one another with 18 separately owned and managed waste disposal sites on the Burin Peninsula no longer works in the best interest of our residents or our region. It is inefficient, costly and environmentally unacceptable. The time to take a different approach is long overdue. The corporation looks forward to charting new direction with the active support of Minister Jackman and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, including the MMSB," said Mr. Dodge.

Mr. Scott said that MMSB is pleased to be able to help regional waste management committees advance their agendas and meet their long term waste management goals. "We will continue to make strategic investments through the Waste Management Trust Fund to ensure all regions in the province are well positioned to meet the challenges before them and keep our province green," said Mr. Scott.

The Burin Peninsula Waste Management Corporation is a recently formed organization comprising municipal representatives from eight sub-regions on the Burin Peninsula. Its mandate is to develop consensus on and implement a comprehensive waste management plan for the Burin Peninsula as a whole, building on work undertaken by an earlier committee that looked at various long-term options for the peninsula.

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.