Construction workers are being accused of dumping their heavy waste materials in residential dumpsters especially in areas where they is limited traffic. This is said to be putting extreme strain on garbage trucks and causing thousands of dollars in damages. Photo: VINO

The sweep of Mr Hodge's garbage truck that was broken allegedly as a result of processing heavy materials from dumpsters. Photo: VINO

Construction workers are being accused of dumping their heavy waste materials in residential dumpsters especially in areas where there is limited traffic. This is said to be putting extreme strain on garbage trucks and causing thousands of dollars in damages.

This is an issue of serious concern to Mr Hodge who owns and operates a heavy duty garbage truck in the Cane Garden Bay area. Mr Hodge complained bitterly about the situation during an exclusive interview with Virgin Islands News Online.

He also called on the relevant authorities to police the area as he is confident they would catch the culprits who have been dumping heavy materials in the garbage bins. “This is overbearing and it is time that they do something about this situation. Everybody talking a set of things but they don’t know what we are going through. I could really talk for me.”

Mr Hodge alleged that many construction workers are guilty of dumping their waste materials in dumpsters in the "country areas" as opposed to taking them to the incinerator at Pockwood Pond. “It is time that Solid Waste enforces the law and let people take their heavy materials to the incinerator. Having commercial dumping in residential bins is just not right.”

He said that consequent of him loading and compressing the heavy materials in his truck he was thrown out of operations for over one month as the sweep of his machine was broken in the process and cost in excess of $10,000 to replace. According to Mr Hodge, he has raised the matter with employees at different levels at the Department of Waste Management.

“They are saying all sorts of things in the news but they need to look on our side,” he complained, adding that very often himself and team come across really heavy loaded bins with washers, drums, concrete slabs with steel. “My truck can compress as much as 100,000 lbs of garbage, it’s a very powerful machine I have. And for the sweep to be broken off by the garbage means that its really heavy stuff they throwing in the bins,” Mr Hodge reasoned.

The extent of the damage to Mr Hodge’s garbage truck was assessed as ‘unbelievable’ by Puerto Rico base technician, Mr Carlos Falcom. “I have never seen something like that. That is an extremely strong part of the truck and in my lifetime I have never come across one damaged like that. That is really strange,” Mr Falcom stressed.

Recently the Department of Waste Management (DWM) staged surveillance in an effort to reduce the amount of illegal dumping around residential dumpster. They said the initiative was first implemented at the double dumpsters’ site located in Free Bottom adjacent to the well.

“The Department realized that all types of trash were being dumped at the base of the bins, although signs clearly indicated that no bulky waste should be deposited. Additionally, bags of trash were being thrown at the base of the dumpsters or along the roadside. This resulted in instances where the garbage placed at the Free Bottom location obstructed the flow of traffic.” The DWM had stated in a press release.