Proposals Sought for Organic Waste Processing

The Provincial Government will issue a Request for Proposals for an independent consultant to identify ways to address organic waste in the province.

“We have made a significant amount of progress in implementing the Provincial Waste Management Strategy since 2008,” said the Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs. “We have redeveloped the Robin Hood Bay Waste Disposal Site and recently opened the new regional waste management facility at Norris Arm. Preparation for the regional waste management plan is well under way for western Newfoundland. While the implementation to date has been on addressing landfill development and the processing of dry waste, we now need to focus on identifying the most effective and efficient means to deal with our organic waste.”

The review will include options for various waste streams such as residential, institutional and commercial, types of technology or systems for processing, types of facilities, capital and operating costs and impacts on current waste collection and more.

“We dispose of more than 300 tonnes of organic waste in our landfills on a daily basis, representing more than 30 per cent of the province’s entire waste stream,” said the Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Environment and Conservation. “The breakdown of organics in landfills creates large amounts of methane, one of the most potent greenhouse gasses responsible for global warming. It is critical we find solutions for managing organics in our continued effort to reduce waste by our goal of 50 per cent and help reduce global warming.”

Significant progress has been made in the management of organic waste nationally and internationally in North America in recent years.

“There are also organic waste management practices already happening in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Minister O’Brien. “We are asking proponents to also take these activities in consideration as they develop a provincial plan.”

The Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy aims to reduce the amount of materials in provincial landfill sites by 50 per cent and to encourage residents of Newfoundland and Labrador to participate in waste diversion programs such as recycling and composting. The strategy also aims to reduce the total number of waste disposal sites by 80 per cent, eliminate open burning of waste at disposal sites and phase-out incinerators and unlined landfills. Full implementation of the strategy is on target for 2020. A total of $145.3 million has been invested in the strategy in the province, $82.8 million by the Provincial Government and $62.5 million from Gas Tax funding.

Information on the Provincial Waste Management Strategy can be viewed at: www.gov.nl.ca/ma/waste_management/index.html.

A copy of the RFP requirements may be obtained by emailing a request to lisawillar@gov.nl.ca or stephenslaney@gov.nl.ca, from Tendering and Contracts, Ground Floor, East Block, Confederation Building, or by phone at 709-729-3786, or fax at 709-729-6729.

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2012 12 06                               4:40 p.m.