Environment and Conservation
Municipal Affairs
March 9, 2009MMSB Announces
Funding for Waste Management Initiatives
Regional waste management initiatives in the Northern
Peninsula and Green Bay areas received support today totalling $110,000.
The funding for these initiatives comes from the Newfoundland and
Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund that is administered by the
Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB).
The Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of
Environment and Conservation, said the investments made by the MMSB from
the trust fund will help these regions move forward with their waste
management efforts. The funding will also play an important role in
achieving a more modern and regionally-based approach to waste
management throughout the province.
"The trust fund supports regional progressive waste
management practices in Newfoundland and Labrador and, in doing so,
plays an important role in ensuring the environmental sustainability of
our province," said Minister Johnson. "The leadership shown by the
NorPen and Green Bay Waste Management Authorities in moving the waste
management agenda forward is an example of Newfoundland and Labrador�s
commitment to the environment, and we are pleased to support their
efforts through MMSB�s Waste Management Trust Fund."
In order to maintain momentum in the further
development and implementation of new waste management plans for both
the Northern Peninsula and Green Bay, the NorPen and Green Bay Waste
Management Authorities received $50,000 each to support ongoing waste
management activities. The funds are being provided to help the
authorities continue to help advance their new regional waste management
plans to the implementation stage.
In addition, NorPen Waste Management Authority
received $10,000 to support their ongoing regional education and
awareness initiatives to support the implementation of their long-term
regional waste management plan.
"Regional co-operation is critical to the success of
the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy," said the Honourable
Dianne Whalen, Minister of Municipal Affairs. "This is an excellent
example of such co-operation and we look forward to continuing to
partner with all regions as we work towards our goal of full modern
waste management province-wide by 2020."
"On behalf of the Northern Peninsula Regional Service
Board, I would like to extend our gratitude and appreciation to MMSB for
their continuous support in assisting us with implementing the
Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy on the Northern Peninsula,"
said Doug Mills, Chair of the Northern Peninsula Regional Service Board.
"MMSB has given support to the Northern Peninsula Regional Service Board
from its early beginnings. The authority is looking forward to
continuing to work with the MMSB and all levels of government to enhance
the delivery of waste management within each region."
Pat Williams, Chair of the Green Bay Waste Management
Authority, is pleased with the funding from the MMSB. "Green Bay Waste
Management Authority has been in operation for several years," said Mr.
Williams. "MMSB plays a key role in assisting us with the implementation
and improvement of our waste collection and curbside recycling
collection processes."
Mike Samson, MMSB interim Chair and CEO, said that
MMSB will continue to make strategic investments through the
Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund to support the
regional waste management committees in advancing their initiatives.
"Working with regional waste management committees around the province
is paramount to advancing the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy
and ensuring that all regions are well positioned to meet their
long-term waste management goals," said Mr. Samson.
MMSB is a provincial Crown agency that reports to the
Minister of Environment and Conservation. Its mandate is to support
progressive waste management practices in the province, with a
particular focus on waste diversion, recycling and public education, in
order to ensure a clean and healthy environment throughout Newfoundland
and Labrador.
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Media contacts:
Cara Pike
Director of Marketing and Communications
MMSB
709-757-3696
cpike@mmsb.nl.ca
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Melony O�Neill
Director of Communications
Environment and Conservation
709-729-2575, 689-0928
moneill@ov.nl.ca
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Susanne Hiller
Director of Communications
Department of Municipal Affairs
709-729-1983, 690-2498
SusanneHiller@gov.nl.ca
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BACKGROUNDERS
The Newfoundland and Labrador Waste
Management Trust Fund
In 1997, the Provincial Government established the
Newfoundland and Labrador Waste Management Trust Fund. The trust fund
provides financial assistance to aid in the development and
implementation of waste management initiatives in the province. It is
governed by provincial waste management regulations and is administered
by the MMSB under direction of the Minister of Environment and
Conservation. The principal source of funds for the trust fund is
surplus revenues from the province�s Used Beverage Container Recycling
Program.
In its early years, the trust fund financed a wide
variety of waste management initiatives, ranging from local education
and information projects, community cleanups, school recycling programs,
pilot projects on waste diversion, and municipal studies to investigate
the practicality of regional approaches to managing waste in a more
environmentally responsible manner.
Activities that MMSB will continue to support through
the trust fund include:
Strategic support for the start-up planning and
organizational development needs of the 15 regional waste management
authorities.
Development of comprehensive long term waste
management plans in each of the 15 regions;
Financing of demonstration or pilot projects for
innovative waste diversion initiatives that have potential
application throughout the province;
Public education and waste reduction awareness
campaigns at the provincial level, such as the Get to Half campaign;
Continuation of MMSB�s Household Hazardous Waste
Collection (HHW) Program until permanent HHW collection
infrastructure is established through the 15 regional waste
management authorities;
Co-ordination of province-wide research into
waste disposal alternatives for those isolated communities that will
not be able to participate in a regional approach to waste
management because of practical considerations; and
Permanent closure of existing waste disposal
sites that do not meet the new environmental standards set in the
Provincial Waste Management Strategy.
The Provincial Solid Waste Management
Strategy
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
garbage going into landfills in the province by 50 per cent. This
strategy is supported by the use of disposal bans, the development of
new infrastructure to facilitate the implementation of broad-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.
At the time of implementation, there were over 240
waste disposal sites in operation throughout the province and today
there are fewer than 200. Open burning has been reduced � and even
eliminated on 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, each with a specific role in the
strategy.
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 of waste management sites, enforcement of environmental
standards and facilitation of site closures.
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.
Municipalities are responsible for all operating and
maintenance costs associated with waste management, which is similar to
any municipal service. This includes waste diversion and curbside
recycling costs.
2009 03 09
10:15 a.m.
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