Environment Minister attends national meetings

Environment Minister Tom Osborne recently attended a meeting of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) held in Victoria, B.C., November 24-25, 2003. "It was an excellent opportunity to meet with my colleagues from across the country and the federal minister to discuss issues of mutual concern," said Minister Osborne. "At the meeting, ministers agreed to continue to work co-operatively on a number of issues including municipal wastewater, electronic products waste and children�s health and the environment."

"Of particular significance for this province was the support for a Canada-Wide Standard for Dioxins and Furans from Conical Waste Incinerators," said Minister Osborne. "There are some 40 of these incinerators, known as teepees, still operating in this province and they account for 27 per cent of all dioxins and furans emitted to the atmosphere in Canada." The standard calls for the phase out of these facilities by 2008. Minister Osborne noted: "Once this standard is signed by all jurisdictions, we will be formally committed to phasing out these incinerators and other jurisdictions in Canada will not allow such facilities to be built in the future."

Minister Osborne said he also took the time while in Victoria to meet separately with his Atlantic counterparts to discuss common approaches to issues, particularly those of a federal-provincial nature such as trans-boundary air pollution and illegal dumping of oil bilges off our coastlines. Ministers agreed to work co-operatively on these issues and a joint approach to the federal government will be developed as further issues arise.

For further information on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment meeting, visit the CCME website: //www.ccme.ca/whatsnew Environment Ministers Seek Solutions Together, November 25, 2003.

Media contact: Tina Coffey, Communications, (709) 729-5783

2003 11 28                                         3:05 p.m.