Herbicides are used in Nova Scotia’s forests to encourage softwood trees to grow in clearcuts by killing or retarding the growth of hardwood trees and shrubs, some softwood tree species and other plants.   On average in recent years, nearly 4,500 hectares per year of Nova Scotia’s clearcut forest have been aerially sprayed with the herbicide VisionMax, the active ingredient of which is glyphosate.

Lafarge has registered with the Department of Environment for an environmental assessment to burn scrap tires as fuel at the Brookfield Cement Plant. If approved the burning of tires for fuel will begin this year. The proposal is to burn 450,000 tires a year or 6,000 tonnes; this would represent 15% of fuel used in the cement kiln.  Their position is that burning tires instead of coal can reduce greenhouse gas and NOx emissions.