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Municipal Affairs
Environment and Conservation
November 12, 2009

New Harbour Waste Disposal Site Closed: Transition to
the Regional Waste Site at Robin Hood Bay In Progress

A new waste collection contract will transport solid waste to the Regional Integrated Waste Facility at Robin Hood Bay and allow the New Harbour landfill to permanently close.

�This effort supports the mandate of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy to decommission and reduce the number of landfill sites around the province, and divert solid waste to the eastern site,� says the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs (Acting). �Consolidation efforts support environmentally-responsible disposal of waste and the closure of landfill sites which are vital components as we move forward with a goal to have the eastern site fully operational by 2010.�

The New Harbour landfill closed effective September 26 with waste now being collected and diverted to Robin Hood Bay. Work is ongoing to remove metals, tires and other materials and to grade and cap the remaining waste in order to permanently close the landfill. This is a joint initiative of the Trinity Bay South Waste Management Committee, which is comprised of the local service districts of Blaketown, Dildo, Green�s Harbour, Hopeall, Markland, New Harbour, Old Shop and South Dildo.

�We are working cooperatively with communities and local service districts all throughout the province to close landfill sites, develop a regional approach and advance our waste management agenda,� said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. �We committed $62,000 for environmental work at the New Harbour landfill this year, complementing the approximately $750,000 we already invested in this site up to the end of last year. Our investment has helped us realize this landfill closure. I would also like to thank the local waste management committee for its dedicated efforts in helping to close this site.�

�The efforts of the Trinity Bay South Waste Management Committee and the communities that they represent should be commended as they have worked together in support of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy and committed to and signed a joint collection contract,� said Ken Kelly, Chair, Eastern Waste Management.

�Closure of the waste site is a positive effort in support of the provincial strategy and a good move to clean up the area for residents, � said Calvin Peach, MHA for the District of Bellevue. �I am confident that the work to be completed will be of great benefit to the district and will be done in an environmentally-responsible manner.�

�Major strides have already been made in the rehabilitation of Robin Hood Bay site into a much more environmentally friendly facility,� said Minister Hedderson. �I look forward to even more communities coming on side and disposing of their waste in the regional facility over the coming months.�

The $200 million Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy will introduce three full-service regional waste management facilities on the Avalon, Central and Western areas of the island portion of the province, and programs for the zones in Labrador to meet the provincial waste management goals. The provincial strategy will aim to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills in the province by 50 per cent through the development of new waste diversion programs and reduce the number of waste sites in the province by at least 80 per cent. The Eastern Regional Integrated Waste Facility is expected to be operational by 2010, the Central site by 2011, and the Western Regional site no later than 2016. It is expected that full implementation of the strategy will occur by 2020.

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Media contacts:

Heather MacLean
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 697-4137
heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca
 
Melony O�Neill
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca
 
Nancy O�Connor
Eastern Waste Management
709-758-0226, 631-2674
noconnor@easternwaste.ca
 
Jessica Higdon
Constituency Assistant
Calvin Peach, MHA Bellevue
709-729-1546
JessicaHigdon@gov.nl.ca

 


2009 11 12                        10:15 a.m.


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