PORTAGE-DU-FORT, QC – Friday, June 21, 2013
The Pontiac Sorting Centre (www.pontiacsorting.ca) is a site for sorting, processing, recycling and enhancing dry construction, renovation and demolition (CRD) materials and was officially opened today in front of political and economic decision-makers in the Pontiac region.
Representing an investment of $ 4.5 million and occupying 79 acres of land with 30,000 square feet of buildings, the Sorting Centre aims to enable municipalities, entrepreneurs and citizens to dispose of their dry materials that are unauthorized for household waste collection. "We are now able to significantly reduce the amount of construction materials waste that are wrongly directed to landfills, because most of these wastes are actually recoverable. The goal for recovery is about 92% during the first years of operation and is bound to increase, "said Mr. Gauvreau Roma, owner and operator of the Pontiac Sorting Centre.
Economic, social and environmental benefits of this opening will benefit the entire community of Pontiac. In addition to a great social acceptability, it is part of a recovery strategy that reflects a strong political will to revitalize the area badly affected in its economy.
Moreover, development and operating standards of landfills tighten and disposal costs of solid waste are growing. Moreover, the Quebec government encourages the development and implementation of integrated management plans for waste in which the implementation of sorting centres is an essential step.
"Effective territorial waste management enables both significant savings and environmental conservation, including the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The implementation of the sorting center can become the starting point for a comprehensive integrated management and especially a global management of all waste in Pontiac, even in the Outaouais ", said Mr. Rémi Bertrand, CEO of the MRC.
The opening of the sorting centre is undoubtedly good news for the Pontiac. Indeed, in addition to the creation of jobs it generates, all residents of Pontiac will benefit financially from this infrastructure as the costs included in the tax accounts for the transport of these materials to landfills located in remote distances will no longer be needed.
Governmental institutions have clearly shown that they believe in this important project by providing financial aid. Indeed, the Government of Québec, through Recyc-Québec, has provided financial support for infrastructure development and acquisition of equipment. Also, at the local level, SADC Pontiac supported the project by providing the Sorting Centre with a loan to continue the development of its infrastructure. The support of Emploi-Québec for staff training should also be mentioned.
"The launch of a major project in an area such as the devitalized Pontiac region provides a great sense of accomplishment," said Roland Richer, MP for Argenteuil. "In addition to supporting the creation of more than 20 new jobs in the first four years of operation, this project is part of the Action Plan 2011-2015 Québec policy for waste management."
The representative of the Pontiac Regional Industrial Park, Gerry Philippe, warmly welcomes the opening of the Sorting Centre into his park: "I have seen all the energy expended by Mr. Gauvreau Roma and his team for the implementation of this project. As a park dedicated to environmental organizations, we are looking for innovative and strategic projects that will diversify and energize the economic landscape and the Pontiac Sorting Centre fits exactly in this vision. "