Supporting Improved Environmental Performance and Waste Reduction

March 10, 2023

A local social enterprise operating in the environmental and recycling sector is receiving support from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to develop a process for recycling liquid waste and creating compost.

The Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC, Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology, announced a provincial contribution of $69,000 through the Innovation and Business Investment Corporation in non-repayable funding to Ever Green Environmental. 

Ever Green collects recyclable beverage containers from its four Green Depots located in the St. John’s area. It currently receives and processes approximately 22 percent of all recyclable deposit-return beverage containers in the province and 50 percent of similar containers in the metropolitan area.

The company is handling increasing volumes of ‘pre-market’ aluminum cans containing liquid beer products that cannot be commercially sold and which are discarded as waste. Ever Green’s 22-month project will assess and identify methods of using this liquid waste to create compost on a commercial scale, thereby reducing waste, improving operational efficiencies and diversifying revenues. Ever Green indicates the company is receiving 10 tons of aluminum containers and 30 tons of liquid beer waste annually. Ever Green anticipates these volumes will grow to 30 tons of aluminum and 100 tons of liquid by 2025.

Ever Green is a Newfoundland and Labrador incorporated company that has been operating in the environmental and recycling sector since 1993. Ever Green is also a social enterprise and CRA-registered charity. The company’s mandate is to help individuals recovering from serious mental illness find and maintain meaningful employment. Ever Green is currently helping over 40 employees maintain employment.

“This project will enable Ever Green to diversify its social enterprise and attain more stability, creating valuable work experience and inclusion opportunities for clients. We are pleased to support this work and to help promote innovative solutions that will enhance sustainability,” said Honourable Andrew Parsons, KC Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology.

“The Department of Environment and Climate Change welcomes initiatives that help divert waste, and we are pleased to support an organization with a long history of social inclusion. I commend Ever Green for continuing the work to reduce waste in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Honourable Bernard Davis Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

“Ever Green is proud to continue finding new partnerships and innovative new approaches that benefit not only our province’s environment but also the people and communities we work with. We are committed to building a greener Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Mike Wadden CEO of Ever Green Environmental.