Today is the deadline for public comment on a proposed biomedical waste incineration facility in Lewisporte.

Paul Dalley Holdings is proposing to collect, transport and store biomedical waste at a facility to be built on Roebotham Street in Lewisporte.

The facility would incinerate about 450 to 500 tonnes of biomedical waste from NL Health Services annually.

That waste could include expired medications, radioactive waste, anatomical waste, and other items such as used needles.

The plan is for the biomedical waste to be automatically loaded from containers into the incinerator, while the ash would be collected and disposed of at the Central Newfoundland Waste Management site in Norris Arm.

There have been concerns expressed about the proposal, including erroneous suggestions that waste could be imported from outside the province.

Others have said putting it “in the middle of town” is unacceptable.

However, Dalley says the opposition, misinformation and fearmongering is not helping “clear the air.”

He says the request for proposals came from the provincial health authorities to incinerate only their waste. As well, he says there have been ongoing discussions with the town over the proposed site, which is in an industrial park.

Bids for the disposal contract closed in mid-April but it has yet to be awarded.

In the meantime, Dalley, who hails from the area, has registered his environmental assessment report with the province.

Today is the deadline for public comment on the project, with the minister’s decision due by next Friday, August 23rd.