Disposing of household hazardous waste (HHW) in an environmentally-responsible manner just got a lot easier for residents of the Northern Peninsula. The Multi Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) has invested $20,000 towards a HHW collection depot as part of a new pilot program.

The Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation; Mike Samson, Interim Chair and CEO of the MMSB; and Doug Mills, Chair of the Northern Peninsula Regional Services Board (NorPen), were at the landfill site in St. Anthony today to officially open the new HHW pilot depot.

The HHW pilot depot program builds on the success of MMSB�s annual HHW collection program. The pilot program evaluates the feasibility and effectiveness of establishing permanent municipal or regional depots for HHW collection in the province. Investment by the MMSB for this program comes from the Waste Management Trust Fund and is being used to offset costs associated with the infrastructure, equipment and training required for the establishment of HHW depots in various areas of the province.

Minister Johnson said that keeping household hazardous waste out of landfill sites is imperative to moving forward with a more progressive and environmentally-sound waste management plan for the province.

"Our government is committed to developing long-term waste management solutions that will benefit our environment and clearly the MMSB is playing a fundamental role in helping us to do just that," said Minister Johnson. "This strategic investment through the Waste Management Trust Fund for permanent infrastructure to divert household hazardous waste from our landfills is an example of MMSB�s efforts to support regional management authorities and help us achieve our 50 per cent waste diversion goal."

Mike Samson said that the MMSB will continue to make strategic investments from the trust fund and will continue to work with regional waste management committees and other stakeholders around the province in the development of cost-effective and environmentally-responsible waste management systems for the province as a whole.

"We are excited to be putting in place permanent infrastructure for the proper disposal of household hazardous waste," said Mr. Samson. "The information we collect through this pilot project will provide municipalities and regional authorities with valuable insight into the types of collection programs that they can implement to meet and exceed the goals of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy."

"I would like to extend a big thank you to the MMSB for funding the household hazardous waste depot," said Mr. Mills, Chair of NorPen. "The depot will provide residents the opportunity to dispose of their household hazardous material in a safe and environmentally-friendly way. We look forward to the continued support and expertise from the MMSB as we continue to develop and implement an action plan for solid waste management for the Northern Peninsula."

The new HHW pilot depot for the Northern Peninsula will serve residents of North Boat Harbour to Goose Cove, Main Brook to Englee, and Eddies Cove East to Castor River South. Residents can drop off their HHW materials free-of-charge from Monday to Friday between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. In addition, to meet the disposal needs of residents in Main Brook to Englee, and Eddies Cove East to Castor River South, NorPen will operate mobile collection services throughout the course of the year.

"I am pleased with the funding announcement by the Department of Environment and Conservation for the establishment of a Household Hazardous Waste collection depot in St. Anthony," said the Honourable Trevor Taylor, MHA for the Straits and White Bay North. "The depot will provide a great service to the residents of the region. Keeping these contaminants out of our waste disposal sites will help ensure a safe, healthy environment for our families. I would also like to congratulate NorPen for the leadership role they have taken in bringing a regional approach to waste management and other services on the Northern Peninsula."

HHW that will be collected through the HHW Pilot Depot Program includes a variety of products, such as oil paints, solvents, acids, cleaners, pesticides, products with heavy metals, and pharmaceuticals.

MMSB has delivered the HHW Collection Program since 1998 and to date has diverted over 749,000 litres of HHW materials from Newfoundland and Labrador�s waste disposal sites. The 2009 Collection Program is in full swing with 10 events already taken place and this year�s program is shaping up to be another banner year � both participation and the volume of materials collected and diverted through the program are up over last year. Final numbers will be available when the program wraps up in the fall.

MMSB is a provincial Crown agency that reports to the Minister of Environment and Conservation. Its mandate is to support progressive 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.

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