Debate on scavengers in landfills

Scavengers in a landfill
Scavengers in a landfill

Deputy General Manager of the St Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority, Laurianus Lesfloris, believes authorities in the region need to allow scavengers into landfills since they also have an important role to play in the area of waste management.

Lesfloris was one of the experts speaking to regional journalists attending a United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) workshop being held in collaboration with the UNDP in Paramaribo Suriname on waste management.

St. Lucia has a program where scavengers are allowed on the island’s landfills but it is closely monitored by the authorities.

“What we realize is that they (the scavengers) form a part of an integral informal recycling sector,” he said in explaining the program. “They cannot be denied their livelihood and so we work with them and control their access to the landfill.”

He pointed out that scavengers are registered when they come to the landfill. “They have to register with us to come to the site,” he noted. “There are no charges but they need to ensure that lives are not put in danger by their actions or work. They also need to be vaccinated on an annual basis and always wear protective equipments at all times,” Lesfloris said.

His argument for the program is largely based on a humanitarian principle “that even scavengers must earn a living.”

Lesfloris said the program is closely monitored because “we need to ensure that the items they take and bring to their homes do not pose a problem to their surroundings.”

“Those persons are gainfully employed and make a living of the items that they take from the landfill. That system has worked quite well for us and we have no issues as it relates to that. On an average we have about 15 persons on the landfill,” he stated.

According to the St. Lucian official, the homes of scavengers are visited to monitor the items they remove and the scavengers must present proof that they have been adhering to set rules and guidelines as stipulated.

Based on the success of the program in St Lucia, Lesflores has called on the authorities in the region to consider implementing a similar program because the illegal removal of items from dump sites is also a problem in Dominica.

But Director of the Environmental Protection Department in Barbados, Jeffrey A. Headley, totally disagrees with that suggestion, describing it as “sick”

“I wish to make it absolutely clear that there is a difference between a “’dump and a sanitary landfill,” an animated Headley stated “What is happening here is a ‘dump,’ it is not a sanitary landfill.”

He is of the opinion that no scavengers should be allowed into a sanitary landfill.

“No scavengers should go to sanitary landfill,” he argued. “Anyone who goes on a landfill to scavenge is sick. I don’t care what you say to me, no one should be taking materials from the dump site and it is clear to me that a more integrated approach is need to deal with that matter.”

Dominican, Carlisle Jno Baptiste, is among regional journalists attending the workshop.

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38 Comments

  1. Frabo
    June 23, 2013

    I wonder what they call these people who work deep down in the Gold mines!! “SCAVENGOLD?”

  2. Frabo
    June 23, 2013

    Had there been nuggets of Gold and Silver in these Landfills, none of these poor folks would be permitted to enter there. No wonder they call them “SCAVENGERS.”

  3. Dominican abroad3
    June 22, 2013

    If someone can make a living from others waste, there is nothing wrong with it,this goes on all over the world. It’s better than waiting on handouts, or begging.

    Good for them.

  4. JF.
    June 20, 2013

    There is a lot of stuff that is just thrown away that can be reconditioned. In the UK the garbage guys have set up shop. And anything they can mend,
    repair,etc they can then sell. Nothing wrong with it. It’s just mind set. Why throw or dump something that someone may be able to make use of. Here in the UK we have lots of shops selling stuff that is no longer needed by one person, but just might be needed by another.

  5. Anonymous
    June 20, 2013

    papamet, licensed and registered scavenging, I wonder if Dean Peters will introduce that degree in the college next. :mrgreen:

  6. Anonymous
    June 20, 2013

    You see if this has to work then our approach to waste disposal has to change. Improved systems at the national level will be needed in order to reduce the amount of BIOdegradable material going into the landfill from Institutional, Commercial and Industrial sources. Improved environmental engineering at the site will also be needed which calls for infrastrutural investment. Then our mindset has to change from seeing it as a nasty place to a place where environmental engineering actually takes place. A lot of public awareness and education will be needed to bridge that gap. The DSWMC has a lot of work to do because when one looks at the current “best practices” taking place down there, it begs to ask a lot of questions.

  7. Don't Edit
    June 20, 2013

    Oh btw they scavenge the used parts and resell them, even regular people go to the dump get parts for their vehicles or equipment. There’s no household waste there so thats probably how it should be done.

  8. Don't Edit
    June 20, 2013

    We have scavengers at the dump here, but the landfill is strictly for metallic waste (cars,stoves, air condition units, trucks, tanks, engines) and rubber. All other combustible trash is incinerated and the ashes turned into huge concrete cubes that are used to reclaim land from the ocean. The plant is also able to make electricity by using the trash as fuel to make steam to spin a turbine.

    People going into a landfill for household trash disgusts me. Potential for illness is high. But if they’re going into one that doesn’t have the potential for disease as high as human waste (spoilt food, diapers and other nasty gooey stuff)

    Just a thought

  9. I Like!!
    June 20, 2013

    that news didn’t even reach SNO I wonder why DNO!!

  10. Frabo
    June 20, 2013

    A law suit was filed some several years ago in the US, by the families of waste water sewage plant workers. The law suit claimed that these workers came home with their work clothes soiled with toxins from the job, and these clothes were washed with the rest of the family laundry in the same washing machine. Thus, the workers family became sick with different illnesses including cancer.

    Now, the workers are not allowed to take home their work clothes. Washing machines and dryers are placed in a room on site. Workers must provide their own detergent. I would think, that if these scavengers who are given permission to scavenge these landfills get sick from the dust, pollution, or get pricked by some object in that nasty place; that they should have the right to file a law suit against those in charge.

  11. Malgraysa
    June 20, 2013

    I have a nice line in scavenged hypodermic needles and diapers. Only used once! Going cheap. Any reasonable offer considered.

  12. Malgraysa
    June 20, 2013

    That would be a next-level development. Not up but down!

  13. Pundit
    June 19, 2013

    Is this man for real???? He should be replaced.

  14. stehen
    June 19, 2013

    everthing rubbish originated from the shop if control properly, it can work out

  15. Truth be told
    June 19, 2013

    Deputy General Manager of the St Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority, Laurianus Lesfloris, in the 21st Century this rubbish proposal is your waste management strategy for Caribbean people? No sir, this cannot be why we survived slavery – think again!

  16. real facts
    June 19, 2013

    lesflores u are one sick hell of a dude u talking about scavengers recycling waste fr the landfill??????? so what made u think that the only waste they will pick up is plastic and bottles this is so not healthy for the environs and the scavengers themselves. this is gonna pose serious health problems in the environment if we adapt this we against it like we are against it we share the same sentiment with mr Jeffery fr Barbados as well pas Dominique.

  17. Randolph Joseph
    June 19, 2013

    The St. Lucian government need to create anti poverty programs rather than spending resources on this ridiculous idea.

  18. NOW
    June 19, 2013

    Boy! Look recycled Codfish – thought the land fill was to keep these people out.

  19. Frabo
    June 19, 2013

    These people are out of their minds and out of ideas. A landfill? do they really know and understand what a landfill is? Oh my God!! I’m in total agreement with Mr.Jefrey A. Headley, this is dangerous and highly toxic waste material we are talking about, and to have men enter that site to earn a living? In such invironment you’ll find a host of elements that are unhealthy to both humans and certain animals. There you’ll find Industrial and Municipal waste which could contain anything from radiation to hyperdermic niddles which would put the scavengers at high risk for cancer and HIV/AIDS. No one should be permitted on such sites. Some folks think that they are so smart! but to the contrary, they have no clue when comes to “WASTE.” I wonder what they do with their own feces.

  20. Anonymous
    June 19, 2013

    Am I the only one that feels like there is something wrong with calling human beings scavengers? Especially if they play an important role in the area of waste management?!!

    • Jay
      June 19, 2013

      To scavenge= to !”search for and collect (anything usable)from waste”. I see nothing wrong or demeaning in that dscription. Recycling is by definition scavenging. What is objectionable is for people to do this in dangerous, unsupervised and unsanitary conditions and is seen as an alternative to proper job creation. If you don’t like the word scavenger I suggest you use recycler or “recycling operative” instead.

      • Rastar-Marn
        June 20, 2013

        But wait nuh what’s the problem with separating the garbage before it reach the Landfills so we don’t have to have these people in this filth,,,

        What Era you living in dread your head good nuh,,,

        Ok lets say rich people cannot do without using things for a little while and then to throw it way to collect more of the same stuff with just a little variation of last year’s model,,,

        Then why don’t the Ones in the positions create an avenue for training and development for these so-called scavengers that they are employed to refurbish those junky stuff before making it to the landfills for the scavengers to be picking up,,,

  21. justsaying
    June 19, 2013

    So am I to deduce that from what Mr. Lesflores is saying that the scavengers are allowed to come to the landfill and remove dumped stuff and reintroduce them back into the communities? Are the scavengers’ bags checked upon exit to see what it is they are leaving with? I could do with some more clarification as to how this works. Because like the Bajan said it sounds sick.

  22. De Marine
    June 19, 2013

    I would like to ask mr.Lesfloris if he would himself go and scavenge or allow his father,mother,and children to go scavenge on the landfill..just thinking……

  23. Rastar-Marn
    June 19, 2013

    Wait nuh DNO allyou really put that report out there???

    What Planet this Man is from “let Scavengers come into the landfill because they need them”,,,

    Waay if that’s the kind of mentality we have ruining [running] our governmental institutions we finny-bat yeh,,,

    And to let mista come there and say dat without Booing him is another sad story wi,,,

    Marn Shock yeh to read dat!!!

  24. thinking
    June 19, 2013

    what has been dumped in a sanitary landfill is ‘dump in a landfill’ we do not agree with Mr Lesfloris. We support the Bajan this time. Bring some better advice on job creation next time!

  25. Gigg-la
    June 19, 2013

    Thanks to my Bajan counterpart for protecting us from people scavenging a landfill, cant see this working for us in Dominica too much monitoring too much negatives for us unsuspecting law abiding citizens hope they never allow that to take place in my land.

  26. Ti-Ti
    June 19, 2013

    Thanks but no thanks. We will pass on that one.

  27. John Paul
    June 19, 2013

    Why not ? If you wear the protective clothing and follow the rules they are just like the workers there .Why shut the really poor out just because You think it is disgusting?The Solid waste workers pick up YOUR garbage all the time . Remember I want to stress it is YOUR garbage,why are You so disgusted by it ?

  28. Wow
    June 19, 2013

    Boy we’ll not only be eating landfill codfish, they’ll add lache cochon. Dominica knows that it just cannot take that chance.

  29. winston warrington
    June 19, 2013

    Scavenging landfills is not a progressive idea.

    • LMAO
      June 19, 2013

      Then it can be deduced, Lesfloris is not a progressive brother.

  30. west kid
    June 19, 2013

    For once in my short life on earth i TOTALLY agree with the Bajan.what is my brother from the winwards was or is thinking.are we going to let persons into bio waste or hazardous materials,what about papers not propally shredded with personal information.when these scavengers get sick they infiltrate their sickness in their environs.why don’t the brother promote a proper reduce , reuse, recycle program.

  31. Anonymous
    June 19, 2013

    Great discussion Lesflores, I have seen similar operatives in Brazil and it works well for the communities in close proximity to the landfill.These scavengers are responsible for recycling a significant percentage of material (plastic, etc)and as such earning income.There is a documentary entitled Waste Land, I beg us to have a look at the official trailer.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNlwh8vT2NU

    • LMAO
      June 19, 2013

      Anonymous and Lesfloris smoking the same weed.
      No other conclusion.
      Brazil I visit for work purposes 3 -4 times/year for periods of 6 wks plus or minus what I know and what I have seen is not depicted in this youtube video my friend noni drink OH! so is the noni drink that have you seeing the colours that you seeing?

    • winston warrington
      June 19, 2013

      Do we care to make a distinction between a garbage dumping site and a landfill?

    • ''
      June 19, 2013

      so what happen gold that is in the landfill nuh? i really want to know. well send ur brother uncle etc. to work there. the salt fish that was taken from labass sooner or later u will hear who was sick hmmm i sealing me mouth..top ranking

    • smh
      June 20, 2013

      i watched the video. Anonymous, yeah it looks like a pretty site 2 u uh? but u must go there, this is just a video. the stench and everyting else makes one sick. if i live my garbage in my yard longer than i should have kept it u know the stench and the mogots etc. cha. y would we want guys to b in there playing in gabage. i can almost smell it. eww commom, there are machine to do that can of job so find them. will u do it Laurianus Lesfloris, u must come and demonstrate for us on our landfill. yes, come give us a demonstration as to how it must be done

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