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News Release

For immediate release
December 20, 2006

PROVINCE APPROVES NEW PROJECT TO DIVERT MORE
WASTE FROM LANDFILL
Proposed State-of-the-art Composting Facility Will Encourage Recycling

TORONTO – The province has granted Certificates of Approval to Orgaworld for the construction and operation of a new state-of-the-art composting facility that will take yard waste and source-separated organic material and turn it into high quality compost for use as fertilizer, Environment Minister Laurel Broten announced today.

“One of our biggest environmental challenges is managing the waste generated by our rapidly growing population,” said Broten. “Composting is a great way to divert waste from landfill and create an environmentally valuable product at the same time.”

After a detailed review and public comment period, the ministry has issued Certificates of Approval to Orgaworld BV, a Dutch waste management company that currently operates five other composting facilities in the Netherlands. This new facility, to be located near London, is Orgaworld’s first venture in Ontario. The company and others are actively pursuing other locations in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of Ontario.

The proposed facility will compost a total of 40,000 tonnes of waste per year from York Region and St. Thomas. York Region currently ships portions of its organic waste to Michigan for disposal and to Quebec for composting. The Orgaworld composting facility will provide a home-grown solution for managing Ontario’s waste. If London and area municipalities so choose, they too could send compost to this facility.

“Recycling is a top priority in Ontario, but new facilities like this one must be designed to ensure that surrounding communities are not affected,” said Broten. “The new technology used at Orgaworld has impressed my Ministry’s experts in its ability to contain odour and reduce impact on the community.”

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Contact information for media:
John Steele, (416) 314-6666 Ministry of the Environment	Anne O’Hagan (416) 325-5809 Minister’s Office
Contact information for the general public: 416-325-4000 or 1-800-565-4923/ www.ene.gov.on.ca