400 air filter masks procured for landfill smoke affected residents – Hon Malone
With Consutech and Skelton Electricals haven been given the contract for the assembly, works have already started as a result of initial payment and Minister for Health and Social Development Honourable Carvin Malone (AL) is confident the project will be completed as expected.
“Mr Speaker… work on both contracts have commenced. It has been advised that the lead time for the construction, assembly, delivery, commissioning and initiation of the panel is estimated between eight to twelve weeks,” Hon Malone said in his House of Assembly (HoA) statement, yesterday July 16, 2019.
Masks for Citizens
In the interim, according to the subject Minister, efforts are being continued to reduce the occurrences of spontaneous combustion and to reduce the effects of smoke on residents and visitors alike.
“Although not uncommon to all landfill and/or dumping sites, the nuisance caused by the smoke has given rise to both immediate and medium terms measures,” Hon Malone said.
He stated the Environmental Health Department is in the possession of approximately 400 air filter masks which would be made available to affected persons and households in Pockwood Pond and West of the incinerator beginning Thursday, July 18, 2019, at the office of Environmental Health located at John’s Hole, next to the Red Cross Building.
Hon Malone noted that the staff of the department will be on-hand to demonstrate and train individuals on the proper use of the masks supplied.
“I must add that I do believe that we would have enough and will procure enough so that residents in Virgin Gorda and any other areas that may well be affected by this, until we have it under control, would also be invited to actually participate in the training and the supply of these masks,” he announced.
Air Quality monitoring
Further, the department has plans to embark on a project to install 4 air-quality monitoring stations in the surrounding communities of the Pockwood Pond waste management site so as to advise residents of the corrective actions that would be deemed necessary in the event of the disturbances caused by the fires and smoke.
There is at least one known family that has sourced and installed a similar system at their Romney Park home, this news site can confirm.
In further measures, government through the Ministry of Health has requested proposals for the specifications, sourcing and pricing of both foam and seawater pumping, transmission and dispersing equipment.
“Requests for proposals for the specifications, sourcing and pricing for proper landfill equipment for the compaction and capping of materials at the Pockwood Pond site or at any future site has been advised and will be initiated again at the Ministry,” Hon Malone said.
The Health Minister further noted, “The situation at Pockwood Pond is and will continue to be taken with the urgency that it is.”
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