Dump goes out to tender

| 05/10/2010

(CNS): The much anticipated request for proposals to deal with the George Town dump has been officially released. Government is now inviting proposals for the redevelopment of the landfill – aka Mount Trashmore. Although it had previously expressed its preference for a Waste-to-Energy Facility (WTEF), it is also inviting tenders for Comprehensive Solid Waste Disposal Management Facilities (CSWDMF). According to a release from government, it is seeking an entity that will manage all waste generated in Grand Cayman through the establishment of a CSWDMF and WTEF, while enhancing the island’s recycling capabilities and producing green by-products such as biofuels and composting.

“All entities interested in providing a Comprehensive Solid Waste Disposal Management Facility and Waste-to-Energy Facility (CSWDMF & WTEF) in Grand Cayman should respond to the Request for Proposal (RFP) by noon, 19 November 2010,” the release from the Department of Environmental Health stated.

 “The George Town landfill currently receives all types of waste and recyclables. The existing method of land filling municipal waste is not sustainable,” government officials said.

 

Entities making a bid to solve what has become, at 80 feet high, one of the country’s biggest problems will also be required to provide future waste disposal management options for the Sister Islands.
 
“The issue of a RFP is a long anticipated and welcomed step in the process of redevelopment of the George Town landfill,” said the Minister with responsibility for public works, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly. “The Ministry is seeking an entity that will provide a practical and reasonable long-term waste management solution for the Cayman Islands.”
 
Mount Trashmore is considered the highest point on Grand Cayman at well over 80 feet and certainly its worst eyesore. As the dump has not been lined it has been leaking into the North Sound for several years, causing major pollution problems for the marine environment.
 
Tackling the dump has been a controversial issue for some time but more recently a group of activists under the banner of WISE (Waste Initiatives & Sustainable Environments) began a campaign to oppose the concept of mining and incinerating the dump as its sole solution. The group has instead suggested capping and remediating the landfill. WISE proposes turning to a new eco-waste management park elsewhere on the island, which would focus on composting, recycling, reuse and the reduction of waste in general with limited incineration and ultimately zero discarded or dumped garbage.
 
The activists have said that incineration will create further pollution, as will the mining of the current landfill, which will release dust and debris into the air as well as generate persistent bad odours during the lengthy period of mining, which they warn could go on for years.
 
However, the relocation of the waste management facility has caused controversy, with no district welcoming the idea of a new, albeit modem, ‘dump’ in its neighbourhood.
 
The tender invites proposals that will deal with the landfill on the current site and it is expected that the existing rubbish at the dump will be mined and burned in a waste to energy conversion and it is hoped that there will also be some recycling undertaken at the site.
 
Details of the RFP and tender packages can be picked up from the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) Administration office located at 580 North Sound Road between the hours of 8:30am to 5:00pm. All relevant documents will be provided in the tender package, contact DEH at 949-6696. Documents will also be available on the Government’s Central Tender Committee website, www.centraltenders.gov.ky
 
Interested parties must be mindful of the noon deadline on 19 November, as late submissions will not be accepted. Excluded from the RFP will be the collection of residential and commercial waste; this will still fall under the responsibilities of the Department of Environmental Health.
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  1. Anonymous says:

    Wow!! Thats impressive. We should be ashamed that we let our country and Government neglect this matter for so long. Maybe thats why we are going to 10 stories to hide the dump?

  2. Say It Aint So! says:

    Folks, I’m not sure what proposal is the best fit for the country, but the good news is we are now at the RFP stage. This is the furthest any administration has gotten and I know I for one do not want to have these discussions with any other government. Enough is Enough! Lets get on with it! The health of our environment and people must not be ignored any longer. The people of this country stand in support of a system that will deal with the land fill issue, wether it be the WISE groups proposal or a WTE system.

  3. Judy Singh says:

    Let’s not for get there are 2 R’s before Recycle!  

    REDUCE & REUSE must be implemented by EVERY household EVERYday if we have even a small hope of tackling this problem.  I too have been heartbroken time and time again at the lack of concern or commitment by the community to actually make some real changes.  And believe me the changes can be small!  

    REDUCE

    – Instead of grabbing a new container every time you go to the hot-table at fosters keep some washed ones in your car and use those at least 3 times before disposing!  

    – Buy laundry detergent and kitty litter in bulk to avoid buying excess packaging!

    – Avoid plastic packaging unless necessary!

    REUSE

    – Plastic containers & lids make great plant trays – especially when painted!

    – Use plastic juice and soda bottles when packing drinks for picnics to the beach!

    – Take washed glass and plastic to your child’s school to be used for art projects or glue and paint containers!

    COMPOST

    Organize a compost within your strata that is accessible to your landscaping company

    These are just a few suggestion but you get the idea… We really need to start reducing and reusing cause a recycling plant at this point is just a small spec of hope on the distant horizon. 

    • Anonymous says:

      all good points..but wasted on the backward caymanian government…they have just scrapped garbage collection fees …so what is the incentive for people to reduce waste?

      • Judy Singh says:

         I’d hope the incentive is that we don’t want to be filthy animals living in our own filth!

    • Hallowe'en Jack says:

      I think I’ll just by-pass the re-use part as it sounds pretty miserable.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Why don’t the politicians simply pick a site in the Eastern districts for the new landfill?

    From a political viewpoint there is only 1 MLA seat to lose, so be it.  It is the obvious location given the land available providing sufficient buffer around the new landfill site.

    Once again the politicians are looking for a foreigner to lay the blame upon. Big conversation now about grabbing dormant bank accounts, looking for something for nothing as usual instead of making the hard decisions.

    There will be important jobs with this new site and it cannot be ignored any longer.

    • Pending says:

      Perhaps they could use it for "fill" for the new cruise ship berthing facility instead of tearing up EE….

  5. Anonymous says:

    There is too much inflow of unsorted trash each day to start making headway into trashmore. Here’s what needs to happen:

    1.) The government needs to find a location for a new, state of the art, facility to deal with the islands waste – as far away from our populace and our tourists as possible (I know the island is small but there is quite a bit of un-used land which can be put to task)

    2.) Once the site is set the facility needs to be built – the government can outsource the entire project – take bids on it and go with a reputable company who will build and run the new dump

    3.) While 1 & 2 are happening the population of the Cayman Islands needs to be educated on recycling and we need to start separating our refuse

    4.) Once the new facility is functioning and the island is actually efficiently dealing with refuse (in this case I’m referring to EVERYONE – in the home, business, etc.) then Mt. Trashmore can be correctly and efficiently dealt with. I still say let Dart do it, he stands to gain most with Camana Bay right next door – we want to make sure whoever is tasked with it does everything in their power to ensure that there is no more damage to the island – his property stands to lose most if its done wrong.

  6. Anonymous says:

    I shudder each time I put a plastic bottle in my trash at home. Some years ago my then primary-school-age daughter was doing an assignment on the awareness of recycling and she proposed that we start such a program at home. We proceeded to wash every single container after use and sorted all separately by material: plastic, tin, aluminum, paper/cardboard, glass. The only thing we discarded was organic waste. After the first two weeks I proceeded to the landfill with numerous bags of washed and sorted items and requested where to dispose of each. The attendant told me to throw them all into the same dumpster because there were no facilities for separation at the landfill.

    Needless to say, our home recycling program was reluctantly terminated and my daughter’s excitement for recycling was deflated. I wonder if we’ll ever have the processes to justify us resuming our initiative? 

     

  7. Anonymous says:

    as usual gov has taken the wrong spineless decision…

    the fact that they are effectively turning down the wise/dart proposal is unbelievable……

    dart/wise have offered a cost effective sustainable solution but this gov turns it down because it hasn’t got the guts to create a new safe sustainable landfill in another electoral district….zzzz

  8. Voice of Reason says:

     Waste of headline space. Nothing is going to happen. Any Caymanian government and bureaucracy are too stupid and lazy to do anything about this.

    Mount Trashmore will get bigger – FACT.

    We may as well just accept this fact and get on with the way things are – no one is complaining that loudly so nothing will happen.

    Sorry to state the obvious. I would have saved the headline space for something people in Cayman appear to care about (which by all accounts appears to be the woes of the Miami Dolphins at the moment). 

    • Anonymous says:

      well said…its unbeleivable we are still at the talking/proposal stage…….the fact that it has taken them this long to get this stage showshow little has been acheived

      i gaurantee we will still be at the samestage in 12 months…

    • Fluffy Stuff says:

      Don’t knock the McCompass, they are only following orders to carry out diversionary tactics. Look behind you!

  9. geof says:

    This is not an easy fix, we first have to change the way people deal with their daily refuse, and how the facilities on island deal with inorganic waste. It currently is not profitabile for a start up company in Cayman to convert trash, ie glass, alluiminium, paper waste, or any other recyclable material into usable, on island products.We could literally pave the roads with our glass bottles!! What other country do you know of throws as much into the tras bin as we do here??

     I hope the powers that be can make this work, I and I am sure there are more, who feel the same and would like to be a part of the change. We need to put people into govt who support this progect! we as residents are banking on the fact that this is a pristine enviromental haven, with clean crystal water and abundant sea life.. this can change in a hurry if the mountian, and our ways of disposal do not change.

  10. Anonymous says:

    People need to realize if we don’t institute trash sorting from homes and commercial properties then this will never get anywhere. It’s business as usual in Cayman, put a band aid on a severed leg.

    Sort the trash, put up grants for start up companies to use the materials, use glass for road works and artificial reefs.  Computer parts and metal can be shipped off.

     

     

     

     

  11. Slugga says:

    Lets face it, Dart Group, DART, DECO or Mr. Ken Dart and his team is the only person now that can clean up this holy mess. Please don’t think that some ‘Ruddy Poop Johnny Come Lately’ gonna jump in after all theses years and have the brass to move this mountain. Besides, I hear the man very much enjoys his mountain biking.      

    • Voice of Reason says:

       If you’re looking for a good view of the dump – I hear that the observation tower at Camana Bay is now open. Another good view of the dump can be had from the upper decks of the visiting cruise ships (which is quite convenient I am sure everyone will agree).

    • Almost Correct. says:

      Caymanians need to stop letting their foreign counterparts set them up against Dart Foundation.  That’s all it is, and I hope Dart realize what is taking place here.

    • saltfish&ackee says:

      You think so?  Dart, the money man, is not so stupid!

      I think he would think twice if he knew he isn’t getting a profit from this massive job. Dart is a business man – not some rich dude who just gives away his wealth.

      He must get a huge return for a huge task!

      • Slugga says:

        Listen Salt Fish & Ackee, he’ll cut down your tree and eat you too. Of course he’s a business man. Now go get some of ‘Spelman’s’ corn bread meet us by the breadfruit tree sunday morning for a lil pedal.

    • scratchin'mehead says:

      Let Dart do it and lets get on with it – we’ve been talk, talk, talking about this for too long now. At least you know Dart will get the job done properly.

  12. Anonymous says:

    another nice money making venture for a UDP cronie or family member. This is getting stink (pardon the pun).

    • Anonymous says:

      Lets see.  this supporter gets a hospital in east end , this one gets a new dock and quarry in the eastern district and now this other one gets the dump.  We all know this has already been decided we just have not been told. I would imagine the firm building the 10 fence around Macs house at the peoples expense is UPD also.

       

      That is how this government works( or is that doesn’t work????).

  13. Anonymous says:

    Ministers come and Ministers go, but which Permanent Secretary has been responsible for the dump the longest?

     

  14. Anonymous says:

    Let’s hope this time the situation progresses and doesn’t come to another halt as in the past.  Action needs to be taken this time and not just talk.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Why is this any harder than hiring the most reputable company on the planet (no Matrix) to come and remove the entire thing, mitigate the environmental damage, and use a temporary dump that meets modern requirements whilst a new permanent one is sited and built.  Ask the UK and tell them we will all have three heads within a decade if they don’t pay.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Given the daily additional material to the dump it would seem next to impossible to both clean up the existing facility and create a new facility able to properly sort, recycle and dispose of waste.

    Until the people of the country get their minds around the idea that a new dump is necessary this project will be dead in the water. 

  17. NorthSideSue says:

    Hmmm.