Municipal Affairs
Environment and Conservation
January 28, 2010
Regional Waste Management System Moving
Forward for Burin Peninsula
To support advancement of the
Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy, the
Provincial Government has approved $286,200 to begin
implementation of the Burin Peninsula Waste Management
System. Funding includes $260,800 to upgrade the
Fortune-Grand Bank waste disposal site as an interim
sub-regional landfill, and $25,400 to engage a
consultant to finalize the conceptual design for the
regional system.
"This work represents the effort and
commitment of communities to move forward with a
long-term plan for the region," said the Honourable Tom
Hedderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs (Acting). "In
addition, upgrades to the Fortune-Grand Bank waste
disposal site will support the closure of 10 waste
disposal sites in the southern portion of the peninsula,
and include decommissioning of the waste incinerator."
A 2009 study commissioned by the Burin
Peninsula Waste Management Corporation recommended
regional facilities be located near Frenchman's Cove and
include a waste transfer station, public drop off,
household hazardous waste depot and a composting
facility. Waste for final disposal will be transferred
to Robin Hood Bay in St. John's.
New funding announced today will support
a comprehensive review of the composting facility with
an aim to maximizing the amount of organic and fiber
waste that can be processed locally on the Burin
Peninsula, and will update capital and operational cost
estimates. Upon completion of this phase, the Provincial
Government is committed to moving forward with detailed
design and construction. The regional system is
projected to be constructed over the next two to three
years with an anticipated startup date in 2012.
Upgrades to the Fortune-Grand Bank
waste disposal site will support its use as an interim
sub-regional landfill, and final closure of the site
which will occur upon start-up of the regional operation
slated for 2012.
"The upgrades to this disposal site
will reduce the volume of waste that is currently burned
through the open pit method, thereby eliminating
dangerous emissions that occur from burning garbage,"
said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of
Environment and Conservation. "Our Provincial Waste
Management Strategy includes a number of specific
standards, including those surrounding the
decommissioning of landfill sites. These modern waste
standards will ensure that all municipal solid waste
that cannot be reduced, recycled,
composted, or processed in some other manner will
be properly managed."
"Our corporation is quite pleased to
have reached this stage in the regional planning and
implementation process," said Cyril Dodge, Chair of the
Burin Peninsula Waste Management Corporation. "We have
made great strides in our short three-year history,
thanks largely to the tremendous cooperation shown by
our corporation, staff, and municipalities, and the
continuous financial and administrative support provided
by the Provincial Government. We are confident that the
work to be conducted over the next number of months will
make real our vision of an effective modern regional
system."
"I am pleased to see these upgrades
take place to the Fortune–Grand Bank Waste Disposal
Site, as well as the engagement of a consultant to
finalize the design for the regional system," said the
Honourable
Darin King, MHA
for the District of Grand Bank.
"I am also pleased to note that from now until the
opening of the regional facility the upgraded landfill
site can accept waste from the communities identified in
the consultant's report and that all communities will be
charged equally and at the same rate."
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 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, supported by the development of new waste
diversion programs. It is expected that full
implementation of the strategy will occur by 2020.
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