Nova Scotia landfills half filled with banned materials

Environmental activists want the province to enforce its ruleson what's allowed inNova Scotia landfills.

According to two wasteaudits done by the Resource Recovery Fund Board, 50 per cent of thematerial sent as garbage could be composted or recycled.

"Fifty per cent is a lotand it undermines the integrity of thewhole system,"said Mark Butler, a policy director withthe Ecology Action Centre.

The banned materials arriving at landfills include organics,plastics, glass, metal and fibre (which includes newspapers andpaper).

The Nova Scotia government has set a diversion targetthat it wants to meet by 2015. It wants the annual per person
waste amount to be 300 kilograms.As of 2013, it was 376kilograms.

The province is expecting updated numbers early nextyear.

Environmental regulations are now under review and newbans are being considered.

Doug Hickman lives in Nova Scotia, but works as a consultantin the solid waste industry around the world. He thinks before anynew bans come into effect, the province should send out inspectors to enforce the current rules.

"It only takes one or two well-publicized compliance actionsand people begin to get the message pretty quickly that you knowwhat,this is something that's important.We do need to do this," said Hickman.

He says stepped up enforcement could helpthe province quickly reach its 2015 target, extend the life of Nova Scotialandfills and create new economic opportunities.