Exposed garbage fueling fires
(CNS): With the two compactors owned by the department of environmental constantly undergoing maintenance and a new one not yet arrived the minister with responsibility for the George Town landfill said it was difficult for staff to prevent the ongoing fires. However, he said the team was working hard with the fire service to do the best they could until the new compactor, which is critical to managing the dump arrives. Osbourne Bodden said the department had the budget for fill to cover the garbage mound but it was the lack of a working compactor to push down the garbage before it is covered which was causing most of the problems and leaving the waste exposed to the elements.
“Right now we are managing operations there but the garbage is uncovered so there are a lot of things going on,” he said as he pointed to the summer heat adding to the chemical reactions and methane emissions making the area so combustible.
“We are working towards getting the existing compactors on their feet and a new one is on its way but the two we own have been broken and fixed, broken and fixed over and over,” he added.
The minister said without a working compactor the garbage can’t be compounded and then covered but he said it would not be long before the equipment was fully operational again and the team would be able to compress and cover the landfill and reduce the potential for fires.
“Right now we have large area of exposed landfill and it literally is playing with fire,” Bodden lamented. He said given the circumstances some six wells have now been dug at the site so the fire department has easy access to water at the site and staff are being exceptional vigilant watching for smouldering areas and catching fires early so they can be doused and controlled.
“We don’t like this but it’s what we are working with,” Bodden said on Friday following press briefing relating to Ebola and Chikungunya.
He said the process regarding the implementation of a national solid waste management solution was moving ahead in accordance with the law and the RFP for a consultant to produce the Outline Business Case was now closed and five bids had been received. The minister said one of those five would be chosen in the next few weeks and work would then begin on finding the best solution. He said the ministry was still on track for a working solution before the end of 2106 but as he has said many times there was nothing he could do to change the process set out in law.
With the solution still down the line he said the department was doing what it could to manage the situation.
Jennifer Ahearn the chief officer in the ministry said it was “a misconception that we are not doing anything” about managing the country’s waster problems until the new system is in place. “We are actively looking at what we can do now and have ordered new equipment. We are taking all the steps to do the best we can with what we have got even though procurement process is protracted.
Bodden also confirmed that the department has finally received two bids for the tyres currently stored at the landfill which were also the source of a serious fire earlier this year and discussions were on-going with the bidders.
Category: Local News
The way the Oz and company are going 2106 sounds about right.Dont stop the Carnival please
They say the smog & fumes aren't hazadrous to health–YEAH right????? ell some other fool that?
This Island all about covering up at the poor peoples expense…..
We keep hearing the bill crap of equipment needed or equipment broken down from the not sorry to say Minisyer of zrubbish. Missa Minisyer ya must be tired of hearing this but there soon won't be no water to out the fire , and you know wa ya gonna ride off into the sunset, with ya head between ya legs.
Sign the petition. Help start a fire of public opinion to help push them to resolve the issue of the dump and it's hazardous fires once and for all.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/dump-free-cayman
Where is the committee of 18 people who should find a solution
Please RESIGN NOW Mr. Bodden you are continuing to do the same things that has been done for 30 years which has made Mt Trashmore the size it is today. That is not progress.
Just putting fill over it is not the same as properly capping it, I really hope he realizes this..If this si what he's planning to do we all need to worry..
I would not rush into this either. I think coming up with idea by the end of 2016 is prudent and no doubt the minister will be rewarded with another 4 years in office.
As a civilized nation we MUST …MUST close this dump NOW
there can not be anymore excuses by the minister
We are all being poisoned !!!!
Minister , cant you see that ???????????????
We, the people , need to lodge a law suit against this disaster government !!!
As long as it doesn't leak out to rumpoint where he spends his sundays boozing with the family. Minister sure seems to think everything is A.OK.
The saying is true: Ignorance is bliss.
The Department of Environmental Health (which is responsible for waste management) shouldnt be confused with the Department of Environment.
Clearly the DEH is not renewing it's vehicle fleet in a timely manner!
The condition of the garbage trucks are a clear testament to this!
Well, it gives me peace of mind to know the ministry is on track for a working solution before the end of 2106. I may not be here to see it but perhaps some of my great-grandchildren will.
And I thought nothing was being done!!!
I love the smell of carcinogens in the morning. A wonderful plan to deal with this was in place but it was sacrificed so Ossie can get into and stay in power and the PPM can do the same.
Why are 2 undergoing maintenance. Wouldn't it be better to do them one at a time?
Or should you have said they are both broken?
Like the garbage trucks too
I think CIG need to get a decent Equipment mechanic
The mechanics work tirelessly. They work hard, it's the drivers who have no care or concern for the vehicles they operate. But the bottom line is that Government has ignored this issure for decades. Blaming workers, machinery etc won't work anymore. The problem is the dump being a dump. We MUST have a proper wate management facility NOW!
The paperwork has been done over and over….time to DO now!
"… finding the best solution…"
Will this elusive "best solution" be the best "technical" or the best "political" solution?
I take it the reference to 2106 in the article (as to when a working solution would be in hand) is not a typo.
So basically they are doing what they have been doing for the past 25 years. Spending money while doing nothing. Hard to belive anyone is still dumb enough to think these people might just be doing the right thing as the Dump burns around them.
11:03, They are looking into previous reports so they can report that they are tendering a new specialist report on the previous reports report.
First