08/13/2024
Just to let everyone know our signs were removed by the Dept. of Transportation by order of Stephen Pike at Gander Dept. of Transportation.
I guess some one complained!
I picked one sign at the Depot in Lewisporte. We should get the other 2 later today.
The deadline to comment to Minister Dempster is August 16th.
Please make you comments heard to the Town and ECC Miniter Dempster before the 16th.
Linda Whalen at CleanNL wrote a wonderful letter outlining the issue of incineration of waste in our communities.
The last go around was importation 2 million tons EU Plastic Garbage and now it’s the burning of 500 Tons of Biomedical Waste in Lewisporte!
Here is her excellent letter!
Make your voices heard and tell the Govts. NO!
Lewisporte should not want to become known as DUMP TOWN NL!
Dear Minister,
We are aware that the Government has called for proposals to construct a biomedical waste facility in the province and profoundly agree that we need to take responsibility for our own biomedical waste and not transport it to other jurisdictions for disposal.
EA Registration document # 2316, proposing a biomedical incinerator at Lewisporte, however, poses fundamental concerns.
This particular registration came as an unpleasant surprise to many. With public education and engagement efforts ongoing, we are finding a significant degree of interest and, along with that, outrage amongst those who know this project has reached this point.
People in Lewisporte and the surrounding area are mobilizing to oppose the location and other important matters raised by the apparently hasty and untimely registration.
Local individuals and groups have identified many failings and causes for alarm in this case. These include: (1.) undermining the actual and potential value of the area's flourishing tourism industry; (2.) the proposed location of the incinerator in a commercial hub surrounded by restaurants, a medical clinic and seniors' housing; and (3) the proponent's claim that the project has the support of the Lewisporte Town Council. At a public meeting held July 30, 2024, Council disavowed having given any such support.
Our own review of the registration document confirms the general public view that this registration is inadequate and unacceptable on many levels.
A primary concern is that the proposed facility is dealing with highly toxic waste and should be located in a remote area instead of in a community like Lewisporte.
CLEANNL's particular concern is the issue that mandates sentinel responsibility on the part of our working group (WG) on waste importation. The WG considers that any such major facility located in a port community opens the door to the possibility of further exploitation and incursion by the international waste industry.
In the absence of legislation to prevent waste import, we would like to see assurances and bonding mechanisms to ensure that there will not be any medical waste imported into the facility from elsewhere.
We also ask for the financial analysis that shows the facility can function competitively on the NL medical waste stream.
Minister, CLEANNL members have engaged in provincial, federal and international processes, interventions, and legal actions, and we would engage in the provincial process if proposal #2316 were referred to further Environmental Assessment.
We suggest, however, that the Government does not have any obligation to give this proposal further consideration.
We respectfully urge you to reject proposal #2316 as ill-conceived and completely unsuitable to the objectives of the Government and the wishes of the vast majority of people in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Our common goal is to have a facility for local biomedical waste disposal that is as safe as possible for communities and the environment.
Yours truly,
Linda Whalen
for CLEANNL
