Waste being generated in Dominica is on the increase, data collected from the Fond Cole Sanitary Landfill has revealed.
Manager of Solid Waste Management Corporation, Bristol Lawrence, told a one-day workshop geared at developing guidelines for collection, storage, and disposal of waste, that the increase has been observed over the last few years.
“In 2009 we had about 14,000 tons, in 2010 we see that increase to 19,000 tons, in 2011 we had about 20,000 tons, in 2012 it rose to 22,000 tons,” he said. “These increases are generally noticed as a result of increase in our importation and consumption patterns in Dominica.”
He added that as a nation Dominica is part of a global community where faster services seems to be the preferred option, and this has an effect on waste.
“With the increase in fast foods and readily packaged products for quick use and disposal from Styrofoam cups to beverage containers, the question is always the same as in relation to who, how, when and where, as to how to confront those challenges,” Lawrence noted. “The answer is not so clear cut as we live in a time where what may be a best practice 10 years ago is no longer acceptable and there are new and improved technologies with better ways to safeguard human and environmental life.”
Lawrence pointed out further that minimization needs to become a priority in Dominica.
“The three-“R” concepts; reuse, reduce, recycle is based on the principal of minimization,” he noted. “This is in short to create little or no waste which may lead to the reuse concept. The other principal is that of maximization where we look at recycling, biogas, biodiesel, composting and waste to energy.”
He urged participants of the workshop to be open with their ideas for proper management of waste.
The workshop was held at the Flamboyant Hotel on Tuesday.
Mr. Bristol said a lot of nice things and gave some relevant statistics, but forgot to tell us how many garbage trucks are in good working condition.He also forgot to mention when last the Corporation benefited directly from the Environmental Levy which this outrageously incompetent labour party government collects on behalf of the Corporation.70,000 people, an island 15miles x29milies and an effective and efficient garbage collection system continue to elude the Corporation. It’s about time we do ourselves a BIG favor and stop referring to Dominica as “The Nature Island of the Caribbean”. But before we do so, Mr. Bristol must ask Skerrit for his fair share of the Environmental Levy, so he can get a decent fleet of trucks and be in a position to maintain them.
The problem is quite conspicuous. Dominica do not have the experts necessary to deal with this kind of problem. we fail over and over again to identify areas such as those, and in the process,we fail to send individuals to study those fields of expertise.Furthermore, we continue to maintain those non innovative thinking brains in positions rather than seeking out inspired and young talent to fill those roles. It is absolutely impossible for us to solve this problem if we do not invest in sending young talented people to study the field of waste management. At least, they will be able to use the new technology and see all the other alternatives that exist. To me, remaining in Dominica and trying to keep abreast with social and technological challenges is preposterous. The only way that those areas can change for the best is to either send individuals to study overseas or hire some expert from overseas.The reason for my assessment is for the fact that under no circumstances have i ever heard MR. Lawrence unveil an initiative or plan to address the problem. Most of his speeches are about the problem, but not one, includes his solutions. His job is to ask the question why this problem is occurring, and once he identifies the main culprit, he must then develop strategies to accomplish his goal or vision.
How was garbage disposed in the yesteryear’s? Granny and grandpa burnt all what could be burnt, they drank Ju’C from the crate not from cans, they made squash, passion fruit juice, guava juice, orange juice, grape fruit juice etc. bought sugar from sac mayolle, use those bags to make rugs, flour from white bags they used to make sheets, They ate dashin, fig, yam, red beans, calaloo from the garden, not from the shop.
Mothers use cloth diapers not pampers, uses a clean baby washrag not baby wipes all they needed was baby soap powder and oil and baby smell sweet. lait taetae no baby formula toloma/arraroot crushed sweet potato, cuscush yam not cereal that list can go on forever.
yesterday..Colgate, maybe..tooth stick, breeze, blue soap Clorox..Today toothpaste, tooth brush, laundry detergent fabric softener..
Yesterday…12 ” TV, radio 2 batteries, today today 52″ TV, stereo set BIG speakers, see where this is going?
Yesterday liberation toe-less, and push-in, rubber boots, today hi heel boots platform shoes..name it..
The more things we have the more garbage we will consume…, the garbage at the DUMP are from our homes/businesses, BURN, RECYCLE, PROPER DISPOSAL….especially with the business owners in the city…a little respect for the garbage collector….
Beautiful clean Dominica, belongs to us beautiful Dominicans..every one do something
For a country as ours to be importing this great amount of trash called food is ridiculous.
Does Dominica have a recycling plant?
1. Burn plastic, paper, and wood.
2. Compost vegetable matter & eggshells.
3. Separate glass, aluminum & tin for collection.
4. Feed waste animal matter to dogs & cats.
well solid waste… where is the recyclying programs! get with the program
As the population increases and with imported boxed, canned and bottled products this will pose a serious problem and add to the amount of garbage to be disposed of.
Minister, nationals/residents will have to be educated on this matter. You must devise a system for re-cycling and establish disciplinary measures. This should be done as soon as possible.
Garbage should be divided into two parts, if not three parts, paper, cans/bottles and remnants of food, etc from the kitchen. Each should be placed in separate bags/boxes for recycling and also to be disposed of.
It is done in Canada and no doubt the US. The government has stringent rules in place which nationals must adhere to. Otherwise their garbage will not be picked up and they could be charged. Imagine that.
besides the crap from china we also have the massive dumping of “garbage” or old items from donor agencies especially to the health centres, that have been expired or just too old. things that are allowed to enter the country collected in customs and then go straight to the garbage bin. We are IMPORTERS of GARBAGE
Soon the Island will be turned into a major landfill. Wait and see.
Why don’t you try to be optimistic?
what does Mr. Bristol expect. the majority of this garbage is the crap imported from china.
lets face it Duminicans, we paying more to dispose of these Chinese no standard crap than the imported duty and taxes that is collected on them.
who doh hear will feel.
We import all our foods. These foods comes in cans and wrappers as a result these items has to be disposed of. When we ate what we grow there was less for the dump yard.
Waste on the increase, corruption on the increase, crime on the increase, and hate on the increase