Municipal Affairs
Environment and Conservation
November 12, 2009
New Harbour Waste Disposal
Site Closed: Transition to
the Regional Waste Site at Robin Hood Bay In Progress
A new waste collection
contract will transport solid waste to the Regional
Integrated Waste Facility at Robin Hood Bay and allow
the New Harbour landfill to permanently close.
�This effort supports the mandate of the Provincial
Solid Waste Management Strategy to decommission and
reduce the number of landfill sites around the province,
and divert solid waste to the eastern site,� says the
Honourable Tom Hedderson, Minister of Municipal Affairs
(Acting). �Consolidation efforts support
environmentally-responsible disposal of waste and the
closure of landfill sites which are vital components as
we move forward with a goal to have the eastern site
fully operational by 2010.�
The New Harbour landfill closed effective September 26
with waste now being collected and diverted to Robin
Hood Bay. Work is ongoing to remove metals, tires and
other materials and to grade and cap the remaining waste
in order to permanently close the landfill. This is a
joint initiative of the Trinity Bay South Waste
Management Committee, which is comprised of the local
service districts of Blaketown, Dildo, Green�s Harbour,
Hopeall, Markland, New Harbour, Old Shop and South
Dildo.
�We are working cooperatively with communities and local
service districts all throughout the province to close
landfill sites, develop a regional approach and advance
our waste management agenda,� said the Honourable
Charlene Johnson, Minister of Environment and
Conservation. �We committed $62,000 for environmental
work at the New Harbour landfill this year,
complementing the approximately $750,000 we already
invested in this site up to the end of last year. Our
investment has helped us realize this landfill closure.
I would also like to thank the local waste management
committee for its dedicated efforts in helping to close
this site.�
�The efforts of the Trinity Bay South Waste Management
Committee and the communities that they represent should
be commended as they have worked together in support of
the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy and
committed to and signed a joint collection contract,�
said Ken Kelly, Chair, Eastern Waste Management.
�Closure of the waste site is a positive effort in
support of the provincial strategy and a good move to
clean up the area for residents, � said Calvin Peach,
MHA for the District of Bellevue. �I am confident that
the work to be completed will be of great benefit to the
district and will be done in an
environmentally-responsible manner.�
�Major strides have already been made in the
rehabilitation of Robin Hood Bay site into a much more
environmentally friendly facility,� said Minister
Hedderson. �I look forward to even more communities
coming on side and disposing of their waste in the
regional facility over the coming months.�
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 the
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 through
the development of new waste diversion programs and
reduce the number of waste sites in the province by at
least 80 per cent. The Eastern Regional Integrated Waste
Facility is expected to be operational by 2010, the
Central site by 2011, and the Western Regional site no
later than 2016. It is expected that full implementation
of the strategy will occur by 2020.
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2009 11 12
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