|
|||||
| Return to 2005 News Releases | |||||
|
|
News
Release |
||||
|
Barrett seeks update on stockpiled tires and says
environmental assessment and consultations must precede burning approval October 31, 2005
|
|||||
|
Percy Barrett, Opposition Environment and Conservation Critic and MHA for
the District of Bellevue, is asking for an update of government’s plan to
deal with the dangers posed by the stockpiling of approximately two million
used tires around the province. "Government has been dragging its feet in dealing with the serious issues associated with stockpiling tires in the province," said Barrett. "They have set deadlines and then ignored them. In a newspaper article earlier this year (Telegram, August 16,2005), an official from the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) said a decision regarding the huge stockpiles of tires would be made by the end of August. It is time for the Minister to come forward now and explain exactly what is happening." The government received eight proposals and had selected two for more investigation and evaluation earlier this summer. It is believed that one of the proposals receiving consideration is to burn the tires at Corner Brook Pulp and Paper as a source of fuel for the boiler at the mill. "If this is the direction government is planning to take, the Minister should be up front about what procedures will be followed before such burning is permitted. It is my position that there should be a complete environmental review process undertaken before any tires are burned. At minimum, the people who live in the area should be given an opportunity to gather information and ask questions about the implications before any decision is made to go ahead. Safeguards must be put in place to protect the environment and assess the impacts of this proposal rather than simply providing a rubber stamp for the company to deal with the tire problem." Barrett recently received a presentation from a representative of Corner Brook Pulp and Paper regarding the proposal to burn tires for fuel. During the presentation, the Liberal MHA expressed his reservations on the proposal and the belief that there should be a full environmental review process before such a project were undertaken. "Earlier this summer I raised concerns about possible dangers involved in stockpiling huge numbers of tires around the province. The Minister has not dealt with issues associated with possible tires fires and disease carrying mosquitoes that can exist at such storage sites." There are close to two million used tires stockpiled in this province, with an additional 500,000 tires disposed each year. "This Minister seemed to have all the answers when he was in opposition, but now entering the third year of their mandate this government has still failed to deal with the problem." |
|||||
|
Media Contact: |
|||||
