Municipal Affairs
April 6, 2011

City of Mount Pearl Receives $1 Million to Purchase New Recycling Vehicles

Continuing with the implementation of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy, the Provincial Government is providing $1 million to the City of Mount Pearl for the purchase of four new waste collection vehicles. These vehicles will be used for the collection of recyclable materials within the city and transportation to the new waste recovery facility at Robin Hood Bay.

The Honourable Kevin O’Brien, Minister of Municipal Affairs, announced the funding today at Mount Pearl City Hall. Also participating in the announcement were Randy Simms, Mayor of the City of Mount Pearl; the Honourable Dave Denine, Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs and the Volunteer and Non-Profit Sector and MHA for Mount Pearl South; Steve Kent, MHA for Mount Pearl North; and Paul Davis, MHA for Topsail which also represents a portion of the City of Mount Pearl.

“As a province we are making great strides with the development of our Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy,” said Minister O’Brien. “By providing the City of Mount Pearl with this funding to purchase four new recycling trucks we are further enhancing their ability to participate in the strategy and to reach our goal of reducing to half the amount of waste which reaches our landfills.”

“The funding to purchase these trucks will greatly enhance the ability to collect recyclable materials at the curb within the City of Mount Pearl,” said Mayor Simms. “Our city believes we must do everything we can to lessen our impact upon the environment and by adding four new recycling trucks Mount Pearl will be among the leaders in recycling and waste management and diversion.”

The City of Mount Pearl requested funding from the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy to purchase four new recycling trucks as part of its waste management collection system. These vehicles will have split-compaction units so that recyclable materials, such as paper fibre and plastic containers, can be kept separate in accordance with the recycling streams at the eastern regional waste management facility at Robin Hood Bay.

“The addition of these vehicles enhances the already first-rate capabilities of the City of Mount Pearl to collect recyclable materials,” said Minister Denine. “No doubt the residents of Mount Pearl will be better served by these new trucks and I encourage them to fully participate in the city’s curbside recycling program.”

“Mount Pearl has always been at the forefront of providing municipal services to its residents,” said MHA Kent. “Along with the complementary support of the Provincial Government to the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy, the city continues this dedication of service and is leading by example.”

Tenders for the purchase of the four new recycling trucks will be issued in the coming weeks with a goal of having them purchased and operational in the fleet by the fall of this year.

“Residents of Mount Pearl are very aware of the positive impacts of recycling and the importance of participating in such a program,” said MHA Davis. “By adding more trucks to the Mount Pearl fleet both the city and the province are demonstrating their commitment to this initiative and helping residents become active in recycling.”

In 2007, the Provincial Government announced the implementation plan for the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy. The goals of this strategy are to reduce the amount of materials in provincial landfill sites, reduce the total number of landfill sites and encourage residents of Newfoundland and Labrador to participate in waste diversion programs such as recycling and composting. The date for full implementation of the strategy is 2020.

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2011 04 06                                                       12:25 p.m.