The Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC) is seeking to undertake a new initiative next month to improve litter bins in the city of Roseau.
This was according to General Manager of the DSWMC, Florian Mitchell who was speaking to state-owned radio, DBS.
“One of the things we are seeking to do as of February 2023 is to improve on the litter bins in the City and as we speak we have a container which came in on Sunday and we will be improving the whole issue of litter and litter management within the City,” he said.
Mitchell also said there will be the continuation of community storage by distributing bins at the rural level.
He revealed that the corporation has distributed in excess of 1100 bins so far and it’s their intention to increase incrementally as the years unfold.
Furthermore, he said the corporation has been putting a lot of programs together to help improve waste management and one of the key areas is waste diversion.
“We have been doing a lot of work with the [Organization of Eastern Caribbean States] OECS with respect to trying to formulate a recycling facility in Dominica,” Mitchell noted.
He continued, “We have gotten support from them through the provision of additional equipment that we need to process the plastic, which is your recycled material.”
Mitchel appealed to the general public to place greater emphasis on separating their waste.
“We have an equipment that is responsible for collecting your glass, plastic, and cans, but the participation from the general public is very minimal, so we would like to see a greater level of cooperation and support from the general public towards that activity,” he urged.
Meanwhile, he mentioned that the corporation is seeking to expand the Fond Cole Sanitary Landfill.
“The Fond Cole Sanitary Landfill has been in commission for the past 18 years and what we are currently seeking…is to do an expansion plant that will allow us to utilize another location within the parameters of the landfill for another cell,” Mitchell explained. “We recognize that even if you set up another cell and you do not have a strong waste diversion component it is going to fill up relatively quick…”
He further explained that for the expansion with the current parameters, there are about two acres within the area that could be utilized for the expansion.
In terms of the design, Mitchell said it is taking a little while, “however once we get the design then we will execute the project.”
“So we are looking within a year or two, to be able to get the design and execute the project,” he revealed.
Talking about “waste management.” The drain behind my house is clogged up and the waste isn’t going through. Could I get some help with that? I’d like my waste to flow, not throw.
Florian I don’t envy your task. No need to buy new equipment because Govt. should still have some of the bobol bins it purchased from a source in Pennsylvania I In 2009 I believe that were hardly used. What happened to them?
It’s all the same tune from all sector in Dominica. They seems to read from the same script and speak the same language.
Mr Mitchell, Dominica has a small population with lots of money be it hidden somewhere or otherwise.
It upsets me when I keep hearing those in authority telling us that things are difficult to come by, when we know they are just lazy, lack any foresight and further have no interest in Dominica.
Bro, If you’re a man of principle and doesn’t allow pride to control you then you should go seek guidance form Athy Martin and some of the more knowledgeable persons in the island. I’m Sure they would be able to advise or assist you on the best way forward.
Just think of how we use to manage waste when you was a young boy growing up. Keep it simple, Dominica isn’t that complicated to manage.
Please go back to simplicity.
Hmmm I don’t think enough marketing is being done for the garbage separation program. To date in which communities is it currently being done? How does it work. Once I heard this topic being explained on the radio via a talk show but otherwise- crickets.
To get cooperation, recycling needs to be made easy enough for people to do or monetarily rewarding for doing so, expensive for not doing so. Is reasonable to expect them to learn to sort/separate waste and put out with their other trash in marked containers. It is not reasonable to also expect them to transport that separated trash to the landfill. What if they don’t have transport? What if they work during the same hours the landfill is open? What if they live a distance away? The human element of recycling needs as much attention as the technological.
“We have an equipment that is responsible for collecting your glass, plastic, and cans, but the participation from the general public is very minimal, so we would like to see a greater level of cooperation and support from the general public towards that activity.”
Could the General Manager clarify: does the responsible equipment collect from my door, or do I have to take my glass, plastic and cans to the equipment that is responsible?
All Dominicans get from this government and its affiliates are empty promises and fantastic paintings about the future. Every closely connected person to the network of vagabonds ( incumbent regime) are expertly skilled in ghost painting.
Dominicans want their present standard of living to be supremely fulfilling. How many times before have these Roosevelt’s sycophants have made these stupendous assurances about the future, all to no avail.
Liars make the most and sweetest promises. This is exactly the modus operandi of the current kleptocracy.
It is a new year, when are you going to change, wow. You are so possessed by a political ideology that it robs your reasoning. Do you have to be that dogmatic with your political ideology, abandoning reason, come on Ibo France. Your above comment does nothing supportive to the agenda you are part of. How long are you willing to prolong your political ideology, is it not time for a reset.
Before people used to get paid something for returning plastic and glass bottles. that used to reduce littering. not sure if that is still a thing. When will we start to recycle? Or at least start to collect for shipping to countries that recycle? what is done with old vehicles? nature island only because we are underpopulated.
“nature island only because we are underpopulated”
I said something similar before & I got thumbs down from everybody. I said we’re only called “the nature island” because we’re undeveloped, and we’re only undeveloped because we’re poor & because people don’t like change. People will say we don’t need an international airport, we don’t need nightlife, we don’t need street lights, we don’t need….everything. Which is complete nonsense. Most Dominicans are lazy beggars stuck in the 15th century, and THAT’S why we’re the “nature island”. They call it that to make themselves feel special, but really it’s just because the countries poor. If Dominica was a rich country, this “nature island” slogan 100% wouldn’t exist. All the islands have mountains, trees, rivers, beaches etc, Dominica is no different. They all have nature. The other islands just ain’t stuck in the past. They say Dominica is the only island Columbus would still recognise but that’s not a good thing, it’s the 21st century