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The province will contribute more than $12,000 to the Natural Resources Institute to develop a waste-management system at the Manitoba Métis Federation (MMF) offices in Winnipeg, Conservation Minster Stan Struthers announced today.

 

“We are pleased to support this MMF project, which will involve staff in developing ways to reduce the amount of waste at their offices,” said Struthers.

 

“The MMF is pleased to take a lead role in this waste-reduction and pollution prevention initiative,” said David Chartrand, MMF president.  “Wildlife conservation, habitat protection and environmental responsibility have always been strong priorities for the Manitoba Métis community.  This project is another concrete example of what we can do to create a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren.”

 

The project is funded through the Waste Reduction and Pollution Prevention (WRAPP) Fund and is intended to reduce, divert, and prevent waste and pollution.  It is part of a larger environmental management system at the MMF, which houses more than 200 employees. The grant is one of five approved in the last funding round totalling $186,240.

 

An environmental advisory committee will develop a waste policy for the office such as a composting program and a paper and disposable dish reduction awareness campaign. Staff will be asked to identify waste-reduction priorities, an environmental and waste audit will be conducted and recommendations will be presented.  Once a system is established, MMF employees will be surveyed to help evaluate the level of improvement in waste management.

 

The WRAPP Fund supports improved waste reduction and pollution prevention practices in Manitoba. Priority areas are organic waste management and composting, construction and demolition waste management, pollution prevention, and model waste-management system development and planning.

 

The minister noted the WRAPP Fund has been instrumental in Manitoba’s waste-reduction efforts. Since 1999, Manitobans have recycled more than 390,232 tonnes of material equal to over 55,700 garbage trucks full of recyclable materials.  Last year, Manitobans recycled 66,800 tonnes of paper, aluminum, glass and plastic.

 

The WRAPP Fund is a targeted funding program under the Sustainable Development Innovations Fund. Other targeted funding programs are the Environmental Youth Corps program, the Manitoba Climate Change Action Fund and the Water Stewardship Fund.

 

A total of 179 projects worth more than $3 million have been supported through the WRAPP Fund since its creation in 2000. Information on the WRAPP Fund is available on request from Manitoba Conservation’s Pollution Prevention Branch or online at http://www.susdev.mb.ca.

 

 

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