For Immediate Release
August 31, 2022

econext is dedicating resources, thanks to $156,200 in funding from the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB), to help find opportunities to reduce, reuse, repurpose, or recycle industrial waste in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“Finding value in industrial waste in our province has emerged as an important area of activity for us, which we are able to explore further now thanks to funding from MMSB,” says Kieran Hanley, CEO of econext.

Hanley says that the province’s forestry, agriculture, fisheries, and aquaculture industries create waste materials which are currently going to landfill. “If we can divert some of this waste from our landfills, then we can help industry become more competitive, create new business opportunities for SMEs, extend the life of our waste management infrastructure, and help the environment. It’s a win-win.”

Hanley says that in some cases technologies and processes exist that can help solve these challenges, but the rural and remote nature of many of the province’s industrial activities makes it difficult to achieve economies of scale.

“There is an opportunity for us to be innovative and to create new solutions – solutions that we can then bring to the rest of the world because we aren’t the only place in the world that faces these kinds of challenges,” says Hanley.

Hanley says that Newfoundland and Labrador has extraordinary research expertise within Memorial University and the College of the North Atlantic to help develop solutions, businesses that are keen to get involved, and a thriving startup community.

“We believe that the missing piece here has been the coordination of activity – matching specific challenges with those that are inclined to try to provide solutions… and then connecting all involved with the programming and supports that are available to them to move forward their ideas” says Hanley. “econext is now able to play that role, and we are very excited to start working with our members and partners to solve some of these challenges.”

Those with an interest in this work are encouraged to contact Heather Ward, econext’s new Business Development Officer.

“We are thrilled to welcome Heather to our team,” says Hanley. “She brings a skillset and experience with her that we know will help us make this initiative a success.”

econext is an association of businesses that accelerates clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador, working on behalf of over 200 members to foster environmentally sustainable economic development. More information can be found at https://econext.ca.

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Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
CEO
kieran@econext.ca

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