Nova Scotia Leads Canada in Recycling and Composting

Nova Scotia has become the first province in Canada to divert 50 per cent of its solid waste from landfill sites.

Acting Environment Minister Michael Baker announced this tremendous achievement to more than 250 solid waste professionals from around the world at a convention in Halifax on Tuesday, Sept. 26.

"We've done it, and we're proud of it," Mr. Baker told delegates to the Canadian Waste Management Conference. "Every Nova Scotian has helped to reach this target. We should all congratulate them for their efforts."

The 50 per cent target is a national goal every province and territory in Canada agreed to meet by 2000. Nova Scotia is the first to reach the goal, and will probably be alone in its achievement for some time.

Nine-year-old Eco-kid Justin Friesen, from Halifax, helped Mr. Baker in the celebration. Justin is a Grade 4 student at Rockingham School and an enthusiastic recycler and composter.

Justin showed delegates his recent interviews with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Premier John Hamm, federal NDP Leader Alexa McDonough, Canadian Alliance Leader Stockwell Day and Progressive Conservative Leader Joe Clark regarding Nova Scotia reaching this goal.

"I would just like to say thank you to Nova Scotia. It's a great thing for the province," Premier John Hamm said.

Others were also impressed with Nova Scotia's achievement and supported using the Nova Scotia model in the rest of Canada. "Don't just think about it, do it" said Justin.

Nova Scotia's achievement is the result of an extensive Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy, first released in November 1995. Based on public input, the strategy called for numerous measures to support recycling and composting including an extensive list of landfill bans.

Not only has the strategy reduced the number of landfills significantly, programs like green bin composting and blue bag have also created jobs, particularly in rural areas. There are now more than 3,000 jobs in this sector.