Sysco Training and Cleanup

About 40 former Sydney Steel employees will receive training
and relevant work experience in the cleanup of industrial
structures at the Sysco site, Ron Russell, Minister of
Transportation and Public Works, announced today.

"This is in keeping with our commitment to take care of our
responsibilities -- cleaning up what we are responsible for
and providing training and work to steelworkers," said the
minister.

Work will begin next week and will focus on asbestos removal
in structures located at the north end of the steel plant
property, which remains in provincial ownership. The cleanup
is expected to take four months to complete and will be
managed by Sydney Environmental Resources Limited.

Workers will receive medical exams and take part in a
comprehensive training program before commencing work. They
will be equipped with all necessary equipment, including air
quality monitors and an independent air monitoring company
will conduct regular spot checks.

The overall cost of the program is $950,000, which was
accounted for last March as part of the environmental
cleanup budget for the Sysco site.

"Step one in any cleanup is to start removing hazardous
materials such as asbestos," said Mr. Russell. "We are also
in the process of developing a longer-term program to
address other priority issues on the site."

Sydney Environmental Resources Limited will lead the
development of this program with input from the United
Steelworkers of America Local 1064, businesses, community
leaders and residents.

The province continues to work with the federal government
in ongoing efforts to clean up the coke ovens and tar ponds.
Current activities include demolition work and an
environmental site assessment -- soil sampling and drilling
-- at the coke ovens site. The province is also in the
process of evaluating proposals from companies interested in
demonstrating new technologies that could help clean up the
tar ponds.