Minister of Health The Hon. Eugene Hamilton has disclosed that a solution to the current landfill situation, is being studied and that another location for the establishment of a new landfill may have to be explored. The Sanitary Landfill in Conaree has expired its natural life and the current landfill cell that is being utilized for dumping is nearing its capacity. Minister Hamilton said the relevant technical expertise and the Solid Waste Management Corporation are studying the matter to advise on what the next step should be. “This is a matter which is under study at the moment. Certainly the technical people would be engaged, those at Solid Waste, Environment and others have been asked to look at the prospect for that landfill serving us at what period or to look at an MOU signed recently(regarding waste to energy)…Waste to energy should impact very significantly on the life of that particularly landfill,” Minister Hamilton said.

Minister Hamilton suggested however that if a solution is not found soon and the landfill cannot contain the additional volume of garbage, then the government would have to look at locating another site for a landfill. “If at the time the landfill does not have any more capacity and we are not able to reduce the level of garbage that is stored there, then we will get some place else. But you know that is always a challenge. Nobody wants a landfill in their environment,” the minister said.

SWMC officials have long posited that to develop part of one of the landfill cells to accommodate garbage disposal would cost US$14 million. In a recent edition of Talking Trash on WINN FM 98.9, Mr. Wilmon McCall, Operations Manager at the SWMC suggested that this was one of the impediments in dealing with the problem. “Once the other cell is done, of course studies must be done because there will be an increase in waste,” he said. “Much will have to go into completing that cell but not only that but look into an alternative area for development.”

When asked if the government can afford that money to construct a new landfill, Minister Hamilton suggested that funding from donor agencies could be explored. “Perhaps we can persuade environmentalists who are contributing hundreds of millions into climate change conditions…to engage them to find funding for it,” Minister Hamilton said. He said he is awaiting a full technical and scientific report on the issue to determine whether or not to pursue waste to energy or construct another landfill.

Meanwhile, on the issue of waste to energy, which has long been a discussion point, Minister Hamilton suggested not much has been achieved in that regard. Several years ago, a company was in discussion with the SWMC and government on the establishment of a waste to energy plant on the landfill. However, Minister Hamilton could not say what had become of that discussion when this administration took power.