Municipal Affairs
Environment and Conservation
December 17, 2008

Central Newfoundland Waste Management Committee Appointed as a Regional Service Board

Today, the Honourable Dianne Whalen, Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced that the Central Newfoundland Waste Management Committee has been appointed a regional service board under the Regional Services Board Act.

"I would like to extend congratulations to the newly appointed members of the Central Regional Service Board," said Minister Whalen. "For the past number of years, as a committee, these individuals have been very active in planning for and implementing the waste management strategy in the region. Their hard work has not gone unnoticed and is very much appreciated. We look forward to continuing to work with the board members as we move forward with the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy in Central Newfoundland."

"I applaud the leadership shown by the committee in moving the waste management strategy forward," said the Honourable Clyde Jackman, acting Minister of Environment and Conservation. "The central region has been a leader in environmental awareness and we will continue to work together to ensure waste management is carried out in an environmentally-responsible manner."

Under the formal structure of the act, the board will now have the legal authority to manage regional solid waste disposal systems in the region (from Buchans in the west to Twilingate / Fogo in the north and to Terra Nova in the east) through the creation of solid waste management facilities and systems.

The volunteer committee had been in operation for the past several years and had developed a board governance model. This model was accepted by the regional municipalities and the Department of Municipal Affairs and considered representative of central�s population. Chaired by Allan Scott of Gander, the board members are: Clayton Boone, Buchans; Donald Stuckless, Point Leamington; Larry Peddle, Cottlesville; John Griffin, Fogo Island; Ford Collins, Frederickton; Glenn Arnold, Sandringhamn; Jim Courtney, Grand Falls-Windsor; Derrick Luff, Brown�s Arm (LSD); Renee Easton, Indian Bay; Harold Edison, Botwood and Fred Budgell, Norris Arm.

"This is another step forward in the implementation of a modern waste management system for central Newfoundland," said Chairperson Allan Scott. "We now have a full board in place to guide us through the construction phase and to continue planning for an efficient and cost-effective operation for future years."

MHAs for the area also expressed their congratulations to the board and their efforts in moving the strategy forward.

"These individuals have shown great initiative and leadership in moving the strategy ahead," said the Honourable Kevin O�Brien, MHA for Gander. "I am proud to represent a district that has embraced modern waste management and is taking its environmental responsibility seriously."

"I also offer my congratulations to the new board members," said Wade Verge, MHA for Lewisporte, "While we still have work to do, I am pleased to see the waste management strategy well underway in the central region."

In November, the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) announced a commitment of $500,000 over a three-year period to enable the board to advance its regional waste management strategy to the implementation stage. This builds on an earlier investment made by MMSB to help the committee undertake research on and develop a long-term, sustainable plan for a more environmentally responsible and progressive waste management system throughout the central area of the Island. This new modern system will see the introduction of curbside recycling programs and other important waste diversion initiatives throughout the region.

John Scott, Chair and CEO of the MMSB, said that the board will continue to make strategic investments from the MMSB�s Waste Management Trust Fund to assist regional waste committees throughout the province achieve their waste management goals. "Working closely with regional waste management committees and other stakeholders is vital to meeting the goals of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy and, in particular, ensuring that the necessary infrastructure to support convenient curbside recycling activities throughout the province is put in place to keep our province green."

The Central Region is scheduled to begin waste management operations in 2010 and will be offering full waste management services in 2012. The cornerstone of the waste management system in central will be the regional facility located at Norris Arm North that will include modern waste management infrastructure such as a material recovery (recycling) facility, compost facility, household hazardous waste facility, and the regional landfill. Seven local waste management facilities will be strategically located throughout the region to maximize efficiency and convenience and will act as transfer stations to transport waste to the regional facility. The estimated capital cost of the system is in excess of $60 million. In 2008, the Provincial Government committed $6.6 million to fund the initial site clearing and preparation contracts for these facilities. Construction is underway at the regional site in Norris Arm North and it is anticipated that construction will begin at the seven local facilities in the very near future.

"We are looking forward to the completion of the site at Norris Arm North," said Norris Arm Mayor Fred Budgell. "As a state-of-the-art, modern facility, it will not only enable residents of the central region to manage our waste more effectively, but we anticipate it will create employment throughout the area."

"This government is fully committed to implementing modern waste management across the province," added Minister Whalen. "For the sake of our children and grandchildren, we can no longer continue to destroy our environment and endanger our health with irresponsible waste management practices. Central is an excellent example of how the regional approach to waste management is working and we will continue to partner with regions as we work toward modern waste management province-wide by 2020."

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Media contacts:

Jennifer Collingwood
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 690-2498
JenniferCollingwood@gov.nl.ca
Melony O�Neill
Director of Communications
Department of Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@gov.nl.ca
Cara Pike
Director of Marketing, Public Education and Communications
709-757-3696
cpike@mmsb.nl.ca 
 

BACKGROUNDER

In May 2007, the Provincial Government announced implementation of the $200-million Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy, with a goal for full implementation by 2020. The strategy calls for full-service regional waste management facilities in three areas, Avalon, Central and Western, of the island portion of the province and programs that will be developed for the zones in Labrador to meet the provincial waste management goals. The provincial strategy aims to reduce the amount of waste going into landfills in the province by 50 per cent, supported by the use of disposal bans, the development of new infrastructure to facilitate the implementation of broadly based recycling activities at the regional level and an aggressive public education campaign to focus attention on reducing the amount of waste generated in the first instance.

There are currently fewer than 200 waste disposal sites still in operation throughout the province. Open burning has been reduced � and even eliminated in the Greater Avalon � and regional waste management committees and boards have been established in most regions.

The Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy is led by a partnership of government departments, the MMSB, regional boards / committees and municipalities.

The Department of Municipal Affairs is responsible for the strategy�s implementation and capital funding. The province has committed $200 million to cover 100 per cent of the capital costs for the infrastructure needed by municipalities to implement the new regional waste management systems.

The Department of Environment and Conservation is the author of the strategy and is responsible for overall policy and setting environmental standards and regulations governing waste management.

The Department of Government Services is responsible for inspection and enforcement of sites.

The Multi-Materials Stewardship Board is a Crown agency that is responsible on a province-wide basis for recycling specific waste streams that pose particular environmental or other challenges and which do not lend themselves to proper management at the local level. The MMSB is also responsible for providing start-up planning and organizational development support to the 15 regional waste management authorities that will enable them to implement modern waste management systems throughout the province. The MMSB has also been mandated to develop and implement province-wide public education and awareness initiatives to promote more environmentally progressive waste management practices, with a particular focus on waste reduction themes.

Regional boards / committees are responsible for the planning, design, implementation and operation of comprehensive new waste management systems throughout the province.

And, similar to any municipal service, municipalities are responsible for all operating and maintenance costs associated with waste management. This includes waste diversion and curbside recycling costs.

2008 12 17                                                          10:20 a.m.


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