Waste characterization done at the Port of Sept-Îles

The Sept-Îles Port Authority, along with two of its users that are also Green Marine participants, Logistec and Groupe Océan, took part in a waste characterization project earlier this year. This study was carried out in collaboration with the Ecoleader Fund, which subsidizes the development and implementation of eco-responsible practices.

It was upon being approached by Environnement Côte Nord that the port first considered addressing the waste management issue. "We immediately thought of characterizing our waste and then developing a waste management and reduction plan since these are two best practices identified within the Green Marine program in the waste management indicator," explains the port's environmental advisor, Mélissa Sanikopoulos.

From the outset, the port wanted to do this exercise with its users. “As this issue also affects them, we asked them to participate in the project in collaboration with us, which Logistec and Océan Remorquage agreed to do,” Sanikopoulos adds. “This, in my opinion, greatly increases the scope of the project and makes it more meaningful in achieving the desired goals.”

The port found Englobe, an expert firm accredited by the Ecoleader Fund, as well as a Green Marine partner, to carry out a field characterization campaign of its waste and recyclable materials in order to have a precise assessment of what is thrown away and in what quantities.

This assessment made it possible to draft a waste management and reduction plan (WMRP) which identifies actions to reduce the quantity of waste generated – by better sorting waste, but also by reducing it at source through more eco-responsible purchases. The WMRP also identifies the steps required to develop a sustainable purchasing policy, as well as other actions during specific events carried out by the Port of Sept-Îles.

The WMRP is a Level 4 requirement within Green Marine’s waste management performance indicator. An assessment and plans were carried out separately for each of the participants since they each have different waste-generating activities.

(Photo from Port of Sept-Îles Facebook page)