Press release 

Baie-Comeau, April 4, 2025 – Thanks to a $300,000 contribution over three years from the Alcoa Foundation, Earth Day Canada is continuing its commitment to reducing and recovering organic waste by launching the third phase of its project in the Manicouagan RCM today.

Following the successes recorded in the Portneuf and Trois-Rivières regions, this new phase in Baie-Comeau aims to divert 500 tonnes of organic waste from landfill, raise awareness among 100 local businesses, and support 30 of them in improving their waste management practices.

Personalized Support for Baie-Comeau Businesses

Deployed among Baie-Comeau businesses, this Earth Day Canada program, called “Action Reduction,” aims to provide local business owners with concrete and personalized support to optimize the management of their organic waste. This includes:

• A diagnostic visit to businesses to assess their needs;
• The development of a detailed action plan with targeted measures;
• Support for implementing the selected solutions;
• Personalized assistance in setting up an organic waste collection system, along with employee training on sorting;
• For some businesses, more in-depth support may be provided, including the development of zero-waste strategies, source reduction initiatives, reuse programs, and organic waste recovery measures.

All participating businesses will receive an Action Reduction certification from Earth Day Canada in recognition of their efforts.

The Earth Day Canada team will work closely with the Manicouagan Waste Management Board (RGMRM) to ensure effective deployment tailored to the region’s specific needs.

Additionally, the Earth Day Canada team will offer training sessions in local schools to educate teachers and students about organic waste management and encourage their active involvement.

A Renewed Commitment to a Sustainable Future

Valérie Mallamo, Executive Director of Earth Day Canada, emphasized: “With our expertise in waste management, we help businesses transition to more sustainable practices. Source reduction and organic waste recovery are tangible actions that have a direct impact on the environment.”

Caroline Rossignol, President of the Alcoa Foundation, added: “We are proud to support this project, which promotes sustainable environmental solutions in communities where Alcoa operates. By reducing organic waste sent to landfills, we are actively contributing to the fight against climate change.”

Isabelle Giasson, Executive Director of the Manicouagan Waste Management Board (RGMRM), concluded: “We are delighted to benefit from Earth Day Canada’s recognized expertise and are confident that this initiative will be valuable for local businesses. This collaboration will help us progress towards our goal of diverting organic waste from landfill while fostering and maintaining new sorting habits.”

A Positive Track Record from Previous Phases, with Concrete Results

Since its launch, the project has proven effective in helping businesses reduce and recover their organic waste. Previous phases have yielded tangible results:

• Phase 1 in the Portneuf RCM: 255 tonnes of organic waste diverted, 99 businesses engaged, and 29 businesses supported.

• Phase 2 in Trois-Rivières: 334 tonnes of organic waste diverted, 116 businesses engaged, and 27 businesses supported.

With a total of 589 tonnes of organic waste diverted in its first two phases, the project has already achieved nearly 60% of its overall target of 1,000 tonnes diverted by the end of 2025.

Phase 3 in Baie-Comeau will play a key role in reaching this target, furthering efforts towards more sustainable waste management and supporting Quebec’s transition to a circular economy.

About the Alcoa Foundation: 
Founded in 1952, the Alcoa Foundation partners with trusted charitable organizations worldwide, acting as a catalyst for positive impact by investing in projects that drive social, environmental, and economic sustainability, with a focus on regions where Alcoa operates. 
To learn more about the Alcoa Foundation: https://www.alcoa.com/foundation/en.

About Earth Day Canada: 
Earth Day Canada is a charitable organization that helps individuals, municipalities, and organizations reduce their environmental impact. In addition to organizing a large-scale awareness campaign on April 22, Earth Day Canada implements environmental programs and projects with proven positive impacts in various fields such as waste management, food waste reduction, and sustainable mobility. 
To learn more about Earth Day Canada: https://earthday.ca/.

For more information, please contact:

Dominic Martin
Head of Communications – Alcoa – Baie-Comeau Smelter
dominic.martin@alcoa.com
+1 (418) 296-7271

Isabelle Giasson
Executive Director – Manicouagan Waste Management Board
isabelle.giasson@regiemanicouagan.qc.ca
+1 (418) 589-4557, ext. 222

Marion Dessus
Communications Officer – Earth Day Canada
mdessus@jourdelaterre.org
+1 (579) 421-2242