The Honourable Dave Denine, Minister of Municipal Affairs, is pleased to announce the appointment of Gilbert Smart to chair of the Western Regional Waste Management Committee. Mr. Smart will assume this position immediately and work with the existing committee to advance a waste management plan for the western region.

"I am confident that Mr. Smart will provide solid leadership, and work well with committee members to support an implementation plan for waste management for the western region. It is important to introduce an independent chair to help lead the waste management strategy and provide guidance to move the western plan forward," said Minister Denine. "There is a tremendous amount of work to be done to advance the strategy, and I am confident that this committee will make strategic decisions to modernize solid waste management on the west coast of our province."

Mr. Smart, a graduate of Saint Mary�s University with a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting, will lead the mandate that will ultimately result in a single waste management facility to service the western region of the province at a reasonable cost to consumers, and which will incorporate programs of household hazardous waste, waste reduction and diversion, composting and recycling. Mr. Smart�s work experience includes leadership roles with the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency and with the Department of Finance, Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Mr. Smart has been retired since 2004, and is a resident of Steady Brook.

"I look forward to working with the committee to move this important initiative forward, and welcome the opportunity to work with community leaders to advance the waste management strategy for the western region," said Mr. Smart. "The committee has an important mandate, and I am pleased to be part of the modernization of waste management for the west coast of the province. There are many positive environmental, and tourism benefits, and much work that needs to be done to move this initiative forward in a responsible, coordinated manner."

In May 2007, the Provincial Government announced implementation of the $200 million Provincial Waste Management Strategy, with a goal for full implementation by 2020. The strategy calls for three full-service regional waste management facilities on the Avalon, Central and Western areas of the island portion of the province, and programs which will be developed for the zones in Labrador to meet the provincial waste management goals. The western regional site is expected to be operational no later than 2016. The geographic area to be considered includes the western region of the province from Harbour Le Cou on the southwest coast to Bellburns on the Northern Peninsula and east past Highway 420, which would include Hampden and Jackson�s Arm and area. The provincial strategy will aim to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills in the province by 50 per cent supported by the use of disposal bans and development of new waste diversion programs.

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