N.S. Enviro Firm Bound for Serbia

ENVIRONMENT/LABOUR N.S. Enviro Firm Bound for Serbia

A Nova Scotia environmental firm has been chosen by the United Nations to start cleaning up contaminated sites in war-torn Serbia.

Brian Lowe, president of Phase Remediation Inc. in Dartmouth, said three of his staff will be leaving this Saturday, Oct.14, for Belgrade, Yugoslavia. They will begin a pilot project to clean up soils contaminated with mercury from a bombed-out chemical plant in Serbia.

Mr. Lowe says he believes Phase is the only Canadian company asked to participate.

"I'm very optimistic this will be successful," Mr. Lowe said. "If that is the case, we would be in line for the full contract, which is anywhere from one to three million dollars."

The initial stage of the work begins Monday, Oct. 16, and is expected to last two to three weeks.

Mr. Lowe's crew will be using a mobile unit with technology developed in Nova Scotia and commercialized with the assistance of the Department of Environment and Labour's environmental technologies group.

Angus MacIsaac, Acting Minister of Environment and Labour, applauded the company for its determination in marketing its services in Europe.

"I know their mobile unit has been doing demonstrations in France and England over the past year and now it is paying off," Mr. MacIsaac said. "This is a great step forward in marketing Nova Scotia environmental expertise around the world."

Lowe returns the compliment.

"I can honestly say if it wasn't for the environmental technology division at the Department of Environment, we wouldn't have this opportunity today."