Close to 90 per cent of Nova Scotians now have access to kerbside collection of organic waste.

A new kerbside organic waste programme started by Cape Breton Regional Municipality complements similar programs in other municipalities throughout the province. Also, all Nova Scotians have access to kerbside collection of recyclable materials such as paper, bottles and cans.

Nova Scotians dispose of 45 per cent less waste than the Canadian average. As a result, Nova Scotia‘‘s diversion rate, which measures the amount of waste recycled, is the highest in the country. This rate will continue to increase with the addition of Cape Breton Regional Municipality‘‘s kerbside organic waste collection program.

About 46,000 tonnes of recyclable material and 58,000 tonnes of organic matter was collected at Nova Scotian kerbsides in 2005-06 and diverted from landfills. Other waste diversion programs keep large amounts of material out of provincial landfills each year including about 16,000 tonnes of beverage containers, 10,000 tonnes of tyres, 25,000 tonnes of organic materials from restaurants, supermarkets and food related businesses, 65,000 tonnes of paper and cardboard from the business sector, and more than 80,000 tonnes of wood, metal, asphalt shingles and gyproc from construction and demolition activity.

The Department of Environment and Labour is also co-ordinating pilot projects to test the collection of scrap metal in blue bags and the possibility that gyproc can be composted.

Waste diversion helps create a healthy environment and a healthy economy. Since 1996, about 1,200 jobs have been created in the province‘‘s waste and recycling sector. Beginning in February, many electronic devices such as computers, printers and televisions will be diverted from landfills. They will be prepared for recycling by private industry.

Nova Scotians can return leftover paint to their local Enviro-Depot, unused medications to their pharmacy, used rechargeable batteries to major retailers and used oil to local sellers. Some retailers accept used cell phones and ink cartridges and donate part of the proceeds from reusing the returned item to local food banks. Donating unwanted clothing, footwear, and household items to charity outlets also results in reuse and diversion from landfills.

The province‘‘s Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act commits to reducing the Nova Scotian average of materials sent to the landfill to 300kg per person per year, down from 427 per person per year. This target is set for 2015.