Smelly garbage trails due to rain, poor equipment

| 09/04/2014

(CNS): Trails of smelly and noxious water from local garbage trucks are due to rain water in the garbage and problems with broken seals on garbage trucks officials have said in a statement of apology to its customers. Although the director of the environmental health department that is responsible for rubbish said his engineers and mechanics are attempting to prevent trucks from leaking he said the department is also exploring the standardization of garbage bins with attached lids as well as a public awareness campaign to encourage people to keep a lid on their rubbish. Urging people to cover their bins especially in the rainy season he said environmental health was doing its best to mitigate leaks.

Responding to a letter of complaint printed in the Caymanian Compass recently from a Roger M. Davies who was concerned about the smelly trails coming from rubbish trucks Roydell Carter the Environmental health boss issued a detailed statement explaining how the leaching from the trucks occurs but which pointed the finger at the public for their failure to keep their garbage dry.

“Residential garbage trucks, which are used to service houses and some small businesses, are all equipped with a drain attached to the base of the truck’s compactors. There should not be any leaking from the trucks as these drains have sealed plugs, and optimally, residential waste collected from the public should be dry and with minimum water content,” he said in the statement. 

But in heavy rain water accumulates in open rubbish bins which is transferred to trucks which squeeze out the water as the garbage is compacted. Although the sealed plugs underneath the compactors should prevent the water leaking but if the seal is damaged or there is some much in the hopper of the truck water will spill out.

For more information contact the DEH at 949-6696. 
See full statement below

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: Science and Nature

About the Author ()

Comments (15)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    The garbage collectors have to take some responsibility too. I have lost count of the number of times our complex garbage dumpster lid has had to be replaced after being broken by the garbage truck. The last time I believe our new lid lasted all of 2 weeks. We would love to keep our lid closed to keep out weather, cats, chickens and keep in the smell, but right now we dont have one.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The garbage trucks and ambulances especially need to be routinely replaced (at least every five years).

  3. Just Commentin' says:

    I had the problem of rain-filled garbage cans too. And let's just say that my bin lids were not very well respected by the garbage collectors. My solution: I simply drilled drainage holes in the bottom my road-side bin.  All my garbage is in plastic bags so rain does not soak the contents unless submerged in a water filled bin.

    To hell with lids, just another part for heavy handed garbage collectors to assist in destroying: drill holes to drain the rain.

  4. Anonymous says:

    The problem is that garbage can lids make good frisbies and the garbage men are able to sharpen their skills at frisbie throwing.  Forgot how many garbage can lids I have lost now.

    • Judy says:

      We moved into our house 5 years ago this week.  We paid $100.00 garbage fee in 2009 and have paid nothing since.  We would be happy to pay this yearly fee, our understanding is that the previous Premier abolished the fee in 2010.  There are plenty of home owners on the island who can afford to pay $100.00 per year for garage service.  Until the truck maintenance problem we had regular twice weekly pick up.  Now it's once per week, which is OK for our two person household, but if the homeowner fee was re-instituted and billing and collection of commercial buildings and condos were managed better, maybe there would be money to maintain the trucks.  What a concept!   We recyle cans, glass, #1 and #2 plastics, cardboard and paper, this really does reduce the amount that goes into the government pick up bin.  

  5. Anonymous says:

    and where is the Minister of Rubbish?

  6. Anonymous says:

    PRIVATIZE !!!

  7. Anonymous says:

    Years ago I saw a garbage truck leaking smelly noxious liquid onto the public ramp by Lobster Pot.  It was draining right into the sea.  Any garbage is bound to have liquid in it – rain or no rain.  I believe the trucks are the problem.

  8. Anonymous says:

    If trash was picked up twice a week my trash can would not be over flowing and I could get the lids on them.  Don't blame the public for governments problems.  You keep promising to get back to twice a week and don't deliver.

    • Anonymous says:

      Or you could try to produce less trash by buying goods with less packaging and recycling more. Or you could buy another garbage can. There are alternative solutions if your can is overflowing.

  9. Anonymous says:

    the usual incompetence from cig…..

  10. Anonymous says:

    What's his excuse for the oil slicks the garbage trucks leave behind?

  11. Anonymous says:

    WE all see how the collectors treat the trucks and trash bins-the problem is attitude…

  12. Socialism without taxation! says:

    As a nation we demand two things: 1. Twice weekly garbage collection. 2. Free twice weekly garbage collection.

    • Anonymous says:

      … and who pays for that exactly? We'd all like a free lunch but someone has to pick up the bill. The solution is investment, separation of garbage and recycling. Not easy, but necessary. It means collective responsibility but it sounds like you want someone to do it all for you!