Nova Scotia Reaches Recycling Goal

Nova Scotia Recycles Day took on an air of celebration this year as the province reached the achievement of being the only province in Canada to recycle 50 per cent of its garbage by the year 2000.

At a Recycles Day luncheon today, Angus MacIsaac, Acting Environment and Labour Minister, said the province's achievement is gaining national and worldwide attention.

"Our success is being talked about on national television and radio," Mr. MacIsaac said. "Every Nova Scotian should be proud. They should all be congratulated for their efforts."

The minister doesn't expect other provinces and territories to meet Nova Scotia's achievement for some time.

He also thanked the Nova Scotia Resource Recovery Board for their leadership in helping the province achieve this goal. The Resource Recovery Board is a private, not-for-profit organization with the task of implementing the province's Solid Waste-Resource Management Strategy. Its directors are from industry, municipalities and the provincial government.

In addition to the strategy, which significantly reduced the number of landfills, programs like green bin composting and blue bag recycling have created many jobs, particularly in rural areas. There are now more than 3,000 jobs in this sector.