Urgent need for waste management in North: report

A report from Oceans North says communities in northern Canada face serious risk if their long-standing waste management problems are not addressed.

The marine conservation group says northern communities produce a similar level of waste to cities in the south, but have fewer ways to deal with it.

The report covers waste management in Inuit Nunangat — the four Inuit regions in Canada that include the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, northern Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

It urges the Canadian government, the private sector and community groups to find better solutions for the North.

The report says while Canada has committed to reduce its waste by 50 per cent over the next 20 years, the North is often overlooked in discussions..

Oceans North makes northern-specific recommendations for how federal and local governments can deal with waste in the region.