Mi'kmaq Confederacy aims to improve waste management in First Nations communities

The Mi'kmaq Confederacy of P.E.I. is looking to improve waste management in First Nations communities on the Island.

P.E.I.'s two reserves Lennox Island and Abegweit fall outside of Island Waste Management's jurisdiction, but the communities currently follow a very similar system of trash, recycling and compost collection, using a private contractor for pickup.

MCPEI's director of integrated resource management, Randy Angus, says the confederacy would like to see a system that is more efficient and cost effective and goes further to help the environment.

"We think we can do a little better than that within the communities," Angus said.

'Social responsibility'

Angus says MCPEI is looking into a variety of ways to divert waste, and be more environmentally friendly. Those ideas include composting within the community for use in community gardens, looking into different sorting options, and setting up drop-off locations within the communities for larger items like furniture.

"The Mi'kmaq believe that whatever you do today impacts seven generations down the line," Angus said.

"So one of the social responsibilities that we want to do within the communities is to make sure that we're dealing with waste in the most efficient, best manner to serve the needs of our great great great great-grandchildren."

Angus saidhe has been looking into options for about a year inspired largely by a program run by the Confederacy of the Mainland Mi'kmaq in Nova Scotia.

Hiring a co-ordinator

As well as improving the way everyday household waste is dealt with, Angus says the confederacyalso wants to look at reducing the environmental impact of large events, such as powwows.

"At powwows we're dealing with everything from water bottles to cutlery. During the feasts, several hundred people would be served and there's bowls, there's plates, knives and forks, spoons, things like that that we know we can be a lot more efficient at dealing with. Either compostable plates, knives, forks and spoons, or ones that are more friendly to the environment."

MCPEI is accepting applications for a solid waste management co-ordinator who would oversee waste management for the communities, and develop new programs. Angus saidthe confederacy is receiving federal funding for the position and the implementation of new programs from Crown Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs.

He saidhe hopes to see changes come into effect within the next fiscal year.

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