Responsibilities
The Pollution Prevention Division consists of the following sections:
- Environmental Science and Monitoring Programs
- Industrial Compliance
- Impacted Sites Management
- Pesticides Control
- Petroleum Storage and Management
- Waste Management
- Waste Management Infrastructure
- Contact Information
Environmental Science and Monitoring
Responsibilities
The Environmental Science and Monitoring section develop various environmental regulations/policies and administer various programs/services to assist the division in its mandate.
Services
Staff members perform industrial site inspections, audits, dispersion modeling and analysis of monthly industrial discharge reports to ensure compliance with provincial environmental regulations.
Personnel are also responsible for issues of a more national and global nature including climate change, ozone depletion, long range transport of air pollutants and the development of national standards.
In conjunction with the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) network of monitoring sites, various airborne contaminants such as ozone, fine particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds are monitored throughout the province.
In conjunction with Environment Canada and the provincial Department of Health and Community Services, deliver an Air Quality Health Index for major urban areas of the province.
Clients
Clients include municipal, provincial, federal and international agencies, industry and the general public.
Industrial Compliance
Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the Industrial Compliance Section to prevent the degradation of the environment by industrial operations, and ensure their compliance with the provincial regulations; and manage impacted sites in accordance with department policy.
Services
The Industrial Compliance Section develops and administers Certificate of Approval for the construction and/or operation of various industrial facilities. Industries with air emissions and/or effluent discharge may be required to obtain a Certificate of Approval for the construction and operation of their facility. A Certificate of Approval consists of terms and conditions which regulate the activities of the industrial facility.
Staff conduct site inspections and provide technical advice to industry and public members on various issues; receive and investigate environmental complaints; review monthly environmental monitoring reports of industrial air emissions and effluent testing data; participate in various community related committees; provide technical assistance and advice to government organizations/departments, industry, environmental consultants, site owners and others with an interest in an impacted site, with respect to our guidance and acceptable environmental site management practices.
Clients
Clients include owners and operators of industrial facilities, government organizations/departments, environmental consultants, owners of impacted sites and the general public.
Impacted Sites Management
Responsibilities
The Impacted Sites Management Section are involved with the management of impacted sites, to ensure that private and government owned properties are managed in accordance with the provincial “Guidance Document for the Management of Impacted Sites”.
Services
The Impacted Sites Management Section is responsible for conducting property environmental searches, for providing technical assistance and advice to other government organizations and departments, industry, environmental consultants, site owners and others with an interest in an impacted site, and for regulatory review of impacted sites in the province, including both private and provincially-owned sites, to ensure that they have been managed in accordance with the “Guidance Document for the Management of Impacted Sites.”
Clients
Clients include property owners and operators of industrial facilities, government organizations/departments, environmental consultants, owners of impacted sites and the general public.
Pesticides Control
Responsibilities
The Pesticides Control Section is responsible for certain aspects of pesticide regulation in the province. Responsibilities include regulating the sale, use and handling of pesticides throughout Newfoundland and Labrador. The specific responsibilities are outlined in the Environmental Protection Act, SNL2002 E-14.2, and the Pesticides Control Regulations, 2003.
Services
Staff conduct field and storage compliance monitoring activities of programs involving the use of pesticides, and analyze annual sale and use summaries of pesticide vendors and operators. Investigations are conducted when there is a suspicion of non-compliance with provincial pesticide legislation, and if necessary, legal action is taken against suspected violators.
Training and certification programs are also developed by staff and implemented for client user groups, and in the case of novel or new types of pesticide application endeavours, research is conducted into the establishment of certification programs that would meet or exceed national standards in similar pesticide application sectors.
The promotion of pest management activities that do not involve the use of pesticides are promoted to all pesticide user groups. Staff provide advice to individuals with pest problems who are open to exploring effective, non-chemical management alternatives.
Clients
Staff work with industry sectors such as agriculture, greenhouse, forestry and aquaculture to ensure that the use of pesticides for food, wood or fiber production purposes is being done in compliance with provincial legislative requirements.
Clients include vendors of domestic and commercial class pesticides, large enterprises, government departments, and individuals such as farmers and homeowners.
Petroleum Storage and Management
Responsibilities
The Petroleum Storage and Management Section administers regulations pertaining to the storage and management of petroleum in the province. The systems regulated include residential and commercial heating oil storage tank systems as well as the 80 million litre storage tank systems at the Transshipment Facility at Whiffen Head, and all systems in between.
Services
The Petroleum Storage and Management Section are involved in the development of regulations, policies and informational literature, the delivery of informational sessions, participation in industry associations, the licensing of heating oil storage tank system inspectors, the development and maintenance of a storage tank system database which includes information on tens of thousands of storage tank systems and the development of national standards through work with organizations including the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, the Underwriters’ Laboratories of Canada organization and the Canadian Standards Association.
Technical input is also provided on the implementation and interpretation of applicable regulations and numerous codes and standards.
Clients
Clients include the oil industry, insurance industry, petroleum storage and handling equipment manufacturers, wholesalers and installers. Clients also include residential and small commercial heating oil tank owners.
Waste Management
Responsibilities
The Waste Management Section is responsible for the administration of the Environmental Protection Act and provisions of Storage and Handling of Gasoline & Associated Products Regulations. Key areas include the management of solid waste, hazardous and special waste and contaminated sites.
Services
Major activities include the registration of generators of hazardous waste; licensing transporters of hazardous and non-hazardous wastes; contaminated site management; PCB inventory management and the formulation of various Policy Directives for other aspects of managing waste not presently covered by Act or Regulation.
Clients
Clients include property owners and operators of industrial facilities, government organizations/departments, environmental consultants, owners of businesses and the general public.
Waste Management Infrastructure
Responsibilities
The Waste Management Infrastructure Section of the Department of Environment and Climate Change is responsible for the implementation of the Provincial Solid Waste Management Strategy. This includes responsibility for the administration and oversight of over $200 Million in capital funding to construct required waste management infrastructure. The section works very closely with Digital Government and Service NL, Municipal and Provincial Affairs and the Mult-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) with respect to the implementation of the Waste Management Strategy to ensure the success of defined objectives and that scheduled milestones are met.
Services
One of the primary roles of the section is to support regional waste management committees, regional service boards, municipalities and local service districts in the development and creation of sustainable waste management systems.
Clients
Clients include government departments, regional service boards, waste management authorities/committees, municipalities and local service districts, environmental consultants, and the general public.