Like most Dominicans I am concerned by our increasing inability to adequately manage our garbage disposal. This rubbish rubbish everywhere even filling bus stops is not only unsightly but poses serious risks to our health and well being. I wish to suggest we change our approach to garbage disposal to have any chance at averting an impending health epidemic and all its consequences.
I think the old model on which we base our present approach is outmoded and will continue to fail us.
I think we can go a long way to solving the garbage problemif we changed the paradigm and started paying our people for the recyclable waste not the organic waste that they have to dispose.
First we should not characterize it as their waste as opposed to say feces,urine, dasheen peel or “fish gut”. They did not create all the plastic, styrofoam , cardboard and tins that transit thru their homes on the way to the natural environment. The majority of this RUBBISH came from elsewhere, somebody in a foreign land made money from producing, transporting and selling it to them as goods or packaging for goods. Further more, the government adds an environmental levy to the costs of the goods ostensibly to dispose of this same ‘RUBBISH”. The majority of this RUBBISH is in essence the vehicle that was used to sell us consumables we could hardly afford. I ask why not pay our people for making the recyclable waste available for disposal for recycling here or elsewhere. Recycling is now a major global economic activity. Why are we stuck in this “RUBBISH” mindset when we already have experience with recycling glass bottles, old vehicles, their chassis and the like. This is nothing new; my younger brother and myself used to collect, wash and sell coke and ju-c bottles for pocket change as children.
I am of the opinion that such a simple change in our approach could very well guarantee a relatively clean environment in what is left of this Isle of Beauty, Isle of Splendor”; that we will soon not be gazing at in wonder if we continue with our present approaches. We live in financial times like it or not, there is a price to recycling. The ordinary citizen should be paid to recycle RUBBISH created by others.Why should people overseas make money from producing rubbish and those of us saddled with it by factors beyond our control not be rewarded for its disposal?
I am proposing that we use some of the funds from the environmental levy or the CBI windfall to pilot such a project for a couple weeks and go beyond the obvious short term measures of truck buying etc. Is that too difficult in this “toxic environment”?? Wouldn’t that be a productive and sustainable way of using the CBI funds? I truly think that properly executed, this could work not only because it is just and fair, but it would reduce the present epidemic levels of environmental pollution, ensure automatic separation of waste, reduce operating cost for Solid Waste, provide opportunities for commercializing organic waste etc.
I am convinced that it will work if this familiar statement “Is not me mister going and get rich on” is a true characterization of most Dominicans. Wouldn’t it be great that for once we would benefit from our self-hate? If there is any validity to the “is not on me Dominicans going and make it” sentiment, who will throw recyclable material on the roadside knowing that Dr. Pascal or a “Paro” is collecting and making good money from recycling it. Would you? I am thinking along the lines of twenty dollars for a case of empty Kubuli beer bottles as opposed to the present sum of ten dollars. Recycling is big business not tokenism.
I was driven to submit this article having listened to Honorable Ezekiel Basil during the last sitting of Parliament painfully lamenting the state of garbage disposal in the Wesley constituency. I want to thank him for this and take the opportunity to commend not only him, but Honorable Danny Lugay and Honorable Lennox Linton for their approach, contributions and stature at this same sitting in a very “toxic” and hostile House of Parliament.
May the spirits of my ancestors be pleased.
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First ban all styrofoam food packaging – many small nations have – it is not necessary.
Second, set up PET recycling – there’s money in empty water bottles.
And third, when Mr Skerritt is planning his next election, instead of bribing constituents with t-shirts, umbrellas and caps, give everyone a shopping bag so we will never need plastic bags again!
So many years rubbish has been all around Roseau, NOW allu complaining/ Roseau used to stink back in the day, especially by the old market and the New market. Old news. Roseau stinks.
Nothing can be done to solve this serious issue now because the CBI money is now used to pay Skerrit’s wife sister in order to cook for S.t Martin’s school children. The money is style flowing back into Skerrit’s and Popoone’s family. Why are Dominicans so stupid and blind?
Very good article Eipigh. A new approach is desperately needed and your idea is reasonable and definitely sensible. All the taxes collected on these imported garbage should be used to getting rid of them and that is the government’s responsibility since the government is the one making money off those imported garbage.
Where are all the garbage bins from the bin bobol?
I think the idea of garbage disposal should only be a stopgap measure. The real issue is to find alternative method to package good, particularly food.
The government should ban the importation of these Styrofoam food containers. There are paper alternatives available.
I was watching a Youtube video of St. Kitts and the ocean was literally covered with plastic and Styrofoam containers. It was horrible and disgusting. I could not believe a Caribbean island was so badly covered in garbage.
I feel that some waste being put out should be put in garden as compost. I see rubbish put out in little black bags. some garbage put out is not garbage. mean while the government should help in getting garbage trucks, spend money for women to buy pampers and where does the pampers sit? not in garbage bags. never seen so much mess in a beutifull iland. please do some thing soon thanks
simple solution.
every item ordered into Dominica have duties and taxes, on vehicles older than five years the government collect 3000.00 and 1.5 percent on vehicles less than five years old. the government collect 10 dollars on every used tire, car battery and used refrigerators imported, and mostly all other item the government collects 1.5 percent of the CIF..
just thinking that it would be great if the government gave that to solid waste so they can employ more people and get new equipment for each community in dominica.
Our people need to rid themselves of their laissez-faire attitudes and go back to the days of disposing of their garbage on their own. We too reliant on the garbage trucks, especially in the rural areas.
Dr. IP you are well aware the GOVT don’t like educated ideas, like the one you gave re-PMH about building the new hospital elsewhere and re-furbishing The PMH location as an emergency center.
Let see what the GOVT do with this educated idea and I hope they don’t WHIP you in the parliament for it!!!!!
Dr. Pascal is a very educated doctor and is interested in the state of his homeland but remember he’s from the village of Marigot and the one man Government don’t like them up there so he’s not going to accept his suggestion .
CBI post disguised as a call for garbage disposal. Nice one IP, you almost hold me there
While I agree there is a serious garbage issue, I believe the people need to manage their waste properly. Why should people from the countryside, with lands in abundance, send their biodegradable waste into the city for dumping? Why not compost banana and fig peels, and burn items that can be burnt? It is so easy to just blame the government because we cannot manage our our waste!
It is not advisable to burn waste in built up areas, especially carcinogenic waste such as plastic and rubber (tires and pvc are particularly hazardous).
Plastic and rubber should be recycled
More of a political post than one calling for proper garbage disposal.
An excellent piece Dr Pascal, one needing much publicity to make a rouge Gov’t react… but I hope it won’t incriminate you.
Just to add to your and civilians’ concerns, I recently visited D/ca and one of the Streets that’s particularly bad is VIRGIN LANE. What was once one of the most beautiful Streets on island is a cesspit. Here’s my experience: garbage pollution is rife on island with the littering of civic waste, particularly household waste into places not designated to dispose it off. I can only see one cause of it being mismanagement of solid waste, not lifting garbage from the streets and areas to carry it to landfill sites for its final disposal.
The problem ahead:
1. Bacteria, insects and vermin thrive from garbage
2. Overflowing waste causes air pollution and respiratory diseases
3. Garbage contaminates surface waters, which affects all ecosystems
4. Direct handling of overflowing waste exposes for health risks
5. Inefficient waste control is bad for…
Rubbish, rubbish every where .Doc, you didn’t put a human face on the present toxic environment that currently exist on the island. The mind set of most Dominicans plays an equal part ,here are my examples, thinking, eating, drinking,speaking,relating,this is the human element, now when you add the environs, you have a people stuck in a deep stench. Education is needed to elevate ones’ personal degree on cleaning after his/her self, ones’ consciousness has to be truly unfettered to comprehend that when you litter your environment , you are practically destroying your spirit, its the people who have to manage the landscape, if Dominica has to be continued to be recognized as a nature island.Dominica presently, is ranking in levels of obesity, thats rubbish, the fast food industry, rubbish, alcohol and tobacco, rubbish,hatting each other, rubbish,so moving forward,rubbish seems to be the norm in every day life.Bob.Hotep.
Man I have never seen so much garbage in a place. It is not like you see garbage in Roseau and Portsmouth as the two major commercial areas in Dominica. You drive all over the island and it is just garbage all over. Lots of rats . Right underneath a lamp pole one night I saw rats playing dominoes.
Yes all of this garbage in a country where the party in power can spend 30 milliin dollars to campaign. How it is that the people are walking on garbage everyday and refuse to lay the blame where it should. You talk to people and they are so much more protevtove of their political party than their own health. One Laborite told me that itbis not the government responsibility but that of the people to handle and dispose their garbage. Another Laborite told me that garbage accumulation is a sign that there is development taking place. smh on disbelief.
Well Mama, what can I say. We have arrived at the next level for true. Mediocrity has become the benchmark of our government, lead by the “wisest” P.M in the whole region. The only thing important now is bought doctorates, bling and the size of your offshore bank account.
The health officials and DLP Gov’t no longer worried about LEPTOSPIROSIS that rats bring after bathing in all that RUBBISH? Cockroaches, dogs, cats all enjoying themselves. Their meals come from the piles of RUBBISH that human beings dump all over the place. Solid Waste Corp is dead broke. The corp cannot afford to buy dump trucks for RUBBISH, although an environmental Levy Gov’t collects at the Customs.
#DOMINICA. Many of the communities stay like mini-RUBBISH dumps, although millions are being boasted about.
The ‘NATURE ISLE?’ Nature isle is about protecting and conserving the environment. Gov’t emphasis is SELLING Passports NOT ABOUT ENVIRONMENT OR CLEANLINESS
Skerritt’s DLP Gov’t gave the foreigner, Range development 15 acres of our Cabrits National Park. Where is the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that would inform us of the negative impacts on the environment at the Cabrits? Sewage will drain into the Cabrits Marine environment for sure, a…
I think we can go a long way to solving the garbage problemif we changed the paradigm and started paying our people for the recyclable waste not the organic waste that they have to dispose.(Irvin Pascal).
Irvin; when we speak in terms if recycling, in every language, it means restoring something to its original form, and that entails the original morphologic state of some products, such as cans, and some plastic materials; not all since some plastics products as shopping bags are designed these days to decay in a very short period of time; I suppose the same applies to Styrofoam.
The idea you mentioned in simple terms that people should be paid for recycle materials: you need to recognized without a source to reprocess such waste material, in Dominica, one cannot consider paying for old bottles, and cans. Even in the United States, glass bottles are not even recycled anymore.
Recycling of plastic bottles and cans are common, nevertheless, if one goes into the buying of such…
Finally:
Recycling of plastic bottles and cans are common, nevertheless, if one goes into the buying of such waste material for recycling, unless they have some sort of arrangement in a develop country to intern buy form someone in Dominica, and shipped to a country where processing can take place, there is no point of even suggesting recycling in Dominica.
The residue from agricultural food we eat should not be a problem since it can be turned into a composite, and used as a natural fertilizer; as we once did!
Francisco please:
composite = “something made up of various parts or materials” (noun or adjective)
compost = “mixed organic manure”
One would expect an erudite man like you to know the difference, no?
I do not even understand why you chose to write that nonsense! Some of you are too smart to your own detriment!
What deference would it have made if I simply used the simple word compound; which means resulting from a union of separate elements, or ingredients. Even if I simply used the term “compose” it would simply mean to form or create something by putting together differrent elements to form a single substance.
A single aspirin is made from a compound!
Composite means a solid material, or substance which is composed of two or more substances having different physical characteristics, in which each substance retains it identity while contributing desirable properties to the complete structure of a compound! Now unless you had chemistry beyond high school level, you may not even understand what I conveyed.
In any event whenever you read me and wish to critic, be sure you have some better than I wrote to present along with any criticism you may have. I know everybody…
Me, I am about to confuse you a bit, again unless you know chemistry, you are going to be confused after reading this: A compound is made up of diverse elements or ingredients, while a substance made up of two or more materials.
In chemistry, a substance made up of two or more elements in union The elements are united chemically, which means that each of the original elements loses its individual characteristics once it has combined with the other elements.
When elements combine they do so in definite proportions by weight; this is why for example; the union of hydrogen, and oxygen always produced water. If you had chemistry, there is no need for me to show you the formula.
Sugar, salt, and vinegar are examples of compounds. Organic compounds are those containing carbon atoms; inorganic compounds are those that do not contain carbon atoms. Quaternary ammonium c., an organ compound containing a quaternary ammonium group, a nitrogen atom carrying a single positive charge…
Let me finish it!
Quaternary ammonium c., an organ compound containing a quaternary ammonium group, a nitrogen atom carrying a single positive charge bonded to four carbon atoms is i. e., choline. You can talk nonsense about adjective, and noun, and all kind of useless crap, ( doh dealing with that eh). I am into the science of chemistry, good for you if you understand, and gain something from what I wrote.
Each time I read someone I look forward to learn something; even from a fool:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah!
Francisco my boy, now you are just being plain silly. You made a mistake, that’s all. You are not infallible, nobody is. learn and shut up for once brother
Tjebe for!
I did not make any mistake, you and “Me” are the two idiots who do not understand what the hell I wrote. I describe something scientific, something taught in science, that is taught in chemistry, you people are damn educated dunce!
You can write crap on a smart phone, or PC, that will not educate you, you are an idiot running your mouth talking about I made a mistake!
Explain to me what is the mistake I made, and back it up with something scientific; show me your hypothesis, or chemistry theory which you used to find where I erred! And by the if you are so damn smart, write your name and surname so the we know who you are.
Shut up; you are a fool!
A classic example of environmental “thinking”: The two problems at hand are failure of municipal trash removal services, and the don’t-give-a-***-itis of the population regarding tossing trash anywhere (especially given that, when you toss it where it belongs, no one picks it up anyway). The environmentalist’s first culprit is the foreigner! Foreigners produce tools, such as styrofoam, that Dominicans refuse to use/dispose of wisely. So propose a “social cost” (must mean he is a “capitalist?”) that no one can see but the newly hired bureaucrat who gets to impose the cost correctly. Does this scheme cost money? No problem, use the CBI; that’s Free Money! Are people unwilling? Challenge their national identity! There is no reason Dominica can not layer on yet another level of rulemaking! Which I bet will not solve the litter problem.
I lived in many country’s but never been to a country where they use so many plastic bags. Bags, bags and double bags for every little thing.
We find polystyrene boxes and plastic bags floating 5 miles offshore, yes this is coming from Dominican rivers.
Are we still in time to keep Dominica the Nature Island?
I have my doubts, although these plastic bags help to keep the economy afloat?
New Ministers of GARBAGE should be appointed immediately. GARBAGE should be on the agenda of the Cabinet permanently.
This article should be brought to the URGENT attention of the Ministar for Garbage and the permanent Secretary for Garbage who should bring it to the collectively responsible Cabinet of Garbage disposal in the Garbage filled country!
The great Dr talks about garbage and it’s a problem in dominica the question is how do we solve it. And what does the CBI- program have to do with people throwing garbage all over the place ?. The answer to most of our problems in dominica is the smart educated, and business people should be the ones driving the economy , government should be coming to these people for advice . If every body is waiting on government to solve dominicas problems it’s all over for us. People who spend their time working on high impact projects contribute more to society , than those who talks. Whether you want more wealth , more friendship , more freedom , or more impact , it all comes down to how you spend your time . What is your time worth on DNO? . At some level , we all have an internal gauge for how much our time is worth .
Hendricks your heart may be in the right place brother but your brain is not. You saying that everybody should not be waiting for government to solve problems but then what do we elect a government for? That same government keeps it garbage service short of investment by not giving them the levies and taxes they put on us to keep the environment clean but worst of all by promoting the use of pampers. Go and check Hendricks what a big problem they are for the environment even in develop countries. We must not be afraid to criticise those we elect and pay to look after the country and its people.
Maybe the company that makes the toilet paper on the island could look into the biodegradable take away boxes. I know many restaurants that use them, but it might be something that could be manufactured on the island. Businesses could charge if you want disposable forks. Learn to bring one with you if you are getting take away. Charge for plastic bags, give a rebate if I bring my own. That is how California and other states started getting rid of plastic bags. There is a man recycling plastic bottles in Fond Cole. I though the garbage pick up company was also picking up plastic for recycling, but I can find no list for pick up dates for any village.
Just some thoughts
Here is a suggestion, Maybe the toilet paper company could invest in producing eating utensils out of biodegradable bamboo? The bamboo canould be fiberized and compressed into moulds with a bio adhesive. This would make it more efficient and reduce waste, at the same time helping our nature image.
All good, but we can’t even seem to learn to at least squash our cans and collapse our little boxes to reduce volume. Take a reusable bag to the grocery store . Simple. And, oh yes, why keep the car idling and polluting the air for the few minutes it takes to go to ATM or pick up a roti?. The garbage problem starts with the individual.
A thinking man
I totally agree
Switzerland , population 8/1/2 million people the cleanest country in the world why?. Dominica 70 thousand population why garbage problems . Keep politics out of it , does it have something to do with the people , or bad organization by the people managing garbage . If you travel to a garbage site in Palm beach country USA you can build a small city on garbage dumps its so organize, we can do the same thing in dominica . The majority of the problems with garbage is the people , it’s not all government faults , you need better maintainance of dump site and equipment , you also needs to educate people , what you are doing is a great start Dr , keep up the good work just keep politics out.
What is that nonsense about keep politics out? What is that fear about politics, when it is the decisions of the politicians in Gov’t that have Dominica in that sorry state of RUBBISH all over Dominica?
Expect the Doc Pascal to be vilified for speaking the TRUTH about that impending HEALTH EPIDEMIC. It would be rubbish. not to talk about the political directorate, Skerritt’s DLP Govt and their failure to address that burning issue of RUBBISH.
Correction: 57,000 in population.
This is interesting. Our last census was held in 2011 and the government only ever announced a preliminary population figure of 71,287. By their own admission this included over 1,000 Haitian immigrants. To this day I wonder why the official, corrected figure was never published.
So ok why is country of 70 thousand need 2 new expensive vehicles in new york for ambassadors, well then switzerland of 8 million will need to purchase about 125 vehicles. Maybe we need better maintainance of the public funds, but ” just keep the politics out”
Exactly what type (make, specification) of vehicles are they Atkinson. Bet they are on dpilomatic CD plates too so they do not pay road tax and have privileged parking?
Leadership is everything, isn’t it Hendricks?
Maybe it’s because Switzerland has a working government and working garbage trucks to collect the garbage. You people are sick in Dominica. Love your government so much you rather surround yourself with garbage and rats than call on them to fix the problem.
This is: 8 1/2 is not saying anything: Even if you are saying there are eight an half million people in Switzerland, you should have written it thus: 8.5 million. in any event there are to date 8, 447, 438 in Switzerland. Year Population Yearly %
Change Yearly
Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban
Pop % Urban Population Country’s Share of
World Pop World Population Switzerland
Global Rank
2020 8,654,271 0.84 % 71,122 50,000 43 1.57 219 74.3 % 6,433,494 0.11 % 7,758,156,792 98
2025 8,951,789 0.68 % 59,504 40,000 44 1.62 227 76.1 % 6,810,653 0.11 % 8,141,661,007 99
2030 9,222,938 0.6 % 54,230 40,000 45 1.65 233 78.2 % 7,207,727 0.11 % 8,500,766,052 98
2035 9,456,989 0.5 % 46,810 40,000 46 1.68 239 80.5 % 7,613,226 0.11 % 8,838,907,877 98
2040 9,660,020 0.43 % 40,606 40,000 47 1.71 245 83.1 % 8,026,447 0.11 % 9,157,233,976 98
2045 9,844,509 0.38 % 36,898 40,000 47 1.73 249 85.8 % 8,443,611 0.1 % 9,453,891,780 98
2050 10,019,102 0…
Year Population Yearly % Change Yearly: Change Migrants (net) Median Age Fertility Rate Density (P/Km²) Urban Pop % Urban Population Country’s Share of World Pop World Population Switzerland.
All the yearly changes, in growth, or decrease in the population should be written in table form: even when it is submitted on DNO in Table form the site scrambles it!
I want to commend Dr Pascal for bringing this problem of garbage disposal to public attention. Do we have or could we implement recycling??
Pascal brought it to public attention? You’re joking……right?!?!
We should stop dishing out plastic bags like confetti. At least charge for them. Betters still, encourage people to do their shopping with purpose made re-usable bags. Secondly, phase out all plastic eating utensils, especially styrofoam and replace them with biodegradable ones. To speed this process up we could introduce a special levy for importing such polluting items. Plastic bottles and other containers are another bane. So long we have been talking about recycling but nothing appears to be happening. Last but not least, fine people for littering. We had a half-baked scheme introduced some time ago I believe but that appears .to have gone the way of the dinosaur. As for that asinine proposal by P.M. to subsidise disposable diapers…. that is just full of s..t and unhelpful.
While I agree with the writer, I am left to wonder. Is this article about garbage or is it about the CBI?
Whats your point?
Only 2 lines in this article mention CBI!
What foolish question u asking, try your best to get the GARBAGE out of your area in stead of the nonsense talk about CBI money
Don’t U hear that 1 bank has $258 m what about the others so we can’t get 2 garbage trucks to help deal with the garbage problem?
ALL ABOUT GARBAGE DISPOSAL
A good idea,but in Dominica ideas will only be given consideration if it comes from a lackey or fawning sycophant,a passport agent,or one who will say CBI is pellucidly transparent and its accountability is perfect.Better yet just get SC i.e “”””Senior Cucum””””,before your name then you will not have to even write,you will just pick the phone and say what you want to happen,and how soon!