Presenter Left: Derek Firth   Recipient Center: Les Reid   Presenter Right: Guy LaFleur

The Pharmacy Association of Nova Scotia represents Nova Scotia pharmacy owners and operators. Since the 2001 launch of the Safe Sharps program, the pharmacy association has played a key role in reducing the numbers of needles and syringes that enter Nova Scotia recycling facilities. Traditionally users of needles and syringes had been disposing of used needles in sealable containers such as Javx bottles prior to disposal. Unfortunately many of these bottles were ending up in the recycling facility. The Pharmacy Association, needle manufacturers, the Department of Environment and Labour and RRFB Nova Scotia worked together to provide public education programs that would reduce the number of incidences of sharps reported at recycling facilities. Sealable containers to give out to needle users were provided to the Canadian Diabetes Association Centres and pharmacies across the province. Through the Safe Sharps stewardship agreement the number of sharps ending-up in recycling facilities has dramatically reduced.

Les Reid, President of the Pharmacy Association accepted the RRFB Nova Scotia Mobius Award of Industry Steward of the Year on behalf of the association.

Presenter Left: Derek Firth   Recipient: David Melanson   Presenter: Guy LaFleur   Recipient: Lloyd LeBlanc   Recipient: Dan Khan

The Salmon River Salmon Association is a non-profit, community-based organization located in the Municipality of Clare. The association’s mission is to restore Atlantic salmon fish habitat in the Clare area. Incorporated under the Nova Scotia Societies Act in 1998, the association has 80 members with a 10-member board headed by David Melanson, a retired high school science teacher.

The Salmon River Salmon Association has many community partners, most notably the École Secondaire de Clare. The Association has helped develop an aquaculture course for grade 9 and 10 students at the school, which houses a fish-rearing hatchery. Already the association and their partners have been able to rear 80,000 trout and salmon for release in local rivers and streams.

This year after much research, the association will partner with Lafarge Canada to use cement-kiln-dust as a liming agent to reduce the acidity in the Felix Mill Brook. Cement-kiln-dust is a waste product of the cement manufacturing plant in Brookfield, Nova Scotia. Each year the cement plant produces 30,000 tons of dust that is currently landfilled. Now through the initiative of the Salmon River Salmon Association, this former waste product will help restore the salmon habitat in the Clare area.

David Melanson, President of the Salmon River Salmon Association accepted the RRFB Nova Scotia Mobius Award for Innovation in Waste Management on behalf of the association.