Recycling Returns $6.8 Million to Municipalities

Environment Minister Don Downe said today the Resource Recovery Fund Board will provide a projected $6.8 million to help municipalities provide solid waste programs this year.

Mr. Downe presented a $1-million instalment to chairmen from the seven solid waste-resource management regions in the province. The money comes from the beverage container deposit/refund system, the sale of recycled materials, and the province's Used Tire Management Program.

Mr. Downe congratulated the members of the regions on their waste management records as he handed a cheque to Richard Cotton, chairman of the Solid Waste Regional Committees.

The money is earmarked for municipal recycling collection systems, composting projects and other waste management programs. This instalment of $1 million will help municipalities pay for existing and new waste management programs that are expected to divert 50 per cent of the province's waste from disposal by the year 2000.

Half of the money is distributed to the seven municipal solid waste regions across the province as credits for waste they diverted from disposal last year. The remaining is provided to fund approved programs such as new recycling programs and the establishment of composting operations and other systems that increase the amount of reducing, reusing, recycling and composting across Nova Scotia.

"The Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy, which is just over two years old, has delivered jobs and environmental protection to Nova Scotians, said Mr. Downe. "By reinvesting the money earned into further recycling and composting programs, we are truly closing the loop on these valuable resources."

Adrian White, chief operating officer of the Resource Recovery Fund Board, was on hand to help distribute the money. The board is a not-for-profit organization created by the province to manage the Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy.

"The fact that this money can be put back into the system shows the program is working and is sustainable," said Mr. White. "Nova Scotians recycled more than 300 million beverage containers in the past two years. That fact alone demonstrates just how successful this whole program is."

Mr. White is comfortable with the projected figure of $6.8 million that is to be dispersed to municipalities this year. "Last year, we were able to deliver $2.3 million. In this, our second year, we do not have the startup costs of our first year of operation, and the program has matured. We would expect funding of this significance to be available to the municipalities each year."