MP RICHARD LEWIS SAID: 𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗢𝗫𝗜𝗖 𝗦𝗠𝗢𝗞𝗘 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗛𝗔𝗭𝗔𝗥𝗗𝗦 𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗢𝗞’𝗦 𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗙𝗜𝗟𝗟
The Cook’s Landfill has become a greater health hazard to the residents of the St. John’s Rural West Constituency.
The frequent landfill fires have exposed the residents of Five Islands, Hatton and Denfields to toxic smoke. We, the villagers, are waking up to a blanket of toxic smoke over the village far too often.
This has reached a breaking point and it is time for real solutions to this perennial hazardous situation. The relocation of the Five Islands Primary School closer to the landfill is even more reason for the issues to be expeditiously addressed.
For the health and safety of the residents, I again call for the immediate overhaul of operations at the Cook’s Landfill.
The following issues continue to plague the operation of the landfill:
- There is a serious shortage of technical staff. There is reactive management rather than being proactive.
- The landfill is more overwhelmed than ever before.
- Standard procedures are often ignored. This includes failing to cover landfill waste with soil at the end of the workday. As a matter of fact, not enough soil is provided to cover the waste.
- Staff members are suffering with inadequate equipment, and are not being provided with the training they require to address the deteriorating situation.
- There are serious waste compaction issues
- There is very little waste separation, if any. Everything, including combustibles and raw sewage, goes to the landfill. Waste separation should ideally start at the producers of the waste.
- The tyre shredder is still not in use.
- Worst of all, the authorities have failed to seriously address the toxic fires and the litany of other problems at the Cook’s Landfill.
It is therefore imperative that the Ministry of Health and NSWMA immediately chart a completely different course to bring a hasty resolution to the recurrent toxic landfill fires.
Further, they must urgently seek the expert advice and assistance required – from outside of Antigua and Barbuda, if necessary.
Finally, I urge NSWMA to implement a proper Waste Diversion Plan and Policy, to ensure constant health hazards and operational issues become a thing of the past.
Richard S. Lewis MP
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