VG residents frustrated with open waste burning problems
The situation, residents say, has gone from bad to worse in Virgin Gorda since the burning of garbage on the island has been telling on their health. The complaints are bitter and many said they feel the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government is turning a blind eye on their constant cries and pleas.
And, according to the Manager for the Department of Waste Management Mr Greg R. Massicote, “For right now we can’t get out of burning waste openly in Virgin Gorda.”
“Everyday it’s burning and the effects are being felt all the way down Valley from all the way up North Sound and this is not good. So many people coming down with strange sicknesses and respiratory conditions and this government isn't seeing it fit to get an incinerator or barge the garbage to Tortola’s incinerator. We are the forgotten, we not important to this territory here,” said an obviously distraught woman.
The complaints came for all angles, including taxi drivers. “I think it's God that does our steering some days when you got to pass through certain parts when you see they are burning. The smoke does be so thick you can’t even see the road many times. If it wasn’t for God this government may be in serious problems cause a serious accident will happen and mess up many tourists one of these day and then is when they will get the message.”
The taxi driver and others, who brought this situation to the attention of Virgin Islands News Online, said that apart from the health issues of residents some villas owners, especially at Mango Bay and other surrounding communities, are being disenfranchised.
“Look, most of the waste now coming from places like Mosquito Island. Tons of waste coming from especially there and they burning here and putting the other businesses out of customers because people booking villas and leaving before their time because of the effects of the smoke and nothing in that is fair,” said one man.
He argued that the government needs to have the owners of certain resorts barge their garbage to the incinerator on Tortola to ease the effect of the extended burning while they await the installing of an incinerator on the island.
Another said, “Look I driving on the road by Bregado Flax School and I can see the smoke up in the air. I can smell it so strong; I call it the volcano, VG now got a volcano erupting every day.”
Contacted on these concerns, Mr Greg R. Massicote, the Manager of the Department of Waste Management, acknowledged that he has been in receipt of complaints about the situation and concerns of residents of Virgin Gorda. He said burning has been taking place every day for as long as he can recall but the situation now is that Virgin Gorda, as well as the smaller surrounding islands, is developing at a pace that the quantity of garbage that has been coming in over the past two to three years has increased tremendously.
“So obviously if you are burning more garbage you’ll get more smoke. So the problem is not that we are burning more frequently,” said Mr Massicote. He added that following the concerns received persons from the Department of Waste Management have visited the island and have been exploring possible short term solutions.
“We are in the process of finding short term solutions that we can possibly employ to offer as much as an immediate relief as possible. For now we are trying to identify that kind of waste that we may be able to separate to reduce the type of smoke.”
Massicote disclosed that there are two long-term solutions on the plate, with the installing of an incinerator on the island being identified as the ideal solution and the other being to transfer waste.
“The department is once again exploring both options; obviously everything would depend on finances.”
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18 Responses to “VG residents frustrated with open waste burning problems”
Suddenly it big news, I wonder what went wrong. Those people are so amaizing
at times.
It goes to show, it was a bad decision from day one, not one had the gaul to say
so. Twenty five years later " Houston we got a problem" what a bunch of morrons.
Thanks to VIP
Secondly, IMHO, it is extraordinary that Necker Island disposes of their wastes (including yard waste) by putting it in trucks that are then barged to the Valley, and then driven up the hill where it is burned openly. Talk about carbon foot print for waste at that! One would think that Mr. Branson would want to take a leadership position in modernizing waste management practices by investing in a mulcher to use the resulting products on his islands. Besides that, being a more economic solution in the long run, it would also be good PR.
Second, "Rome was not built in a day"! The notion that simply installing an incinerator will make VG a greener place is a mis-statement. Incineration is one of the least efficient methods of disposing of waste. Our burning dump will become a burning smokestack & it is likely that the emissions will still be less than desirable. In addition, we need to consider the fact that not all waste can be incinerated (glass being the perfect example). The Dept of Waste Management has been very supportive of our recycling venture, providing equipment (the recycling bins that some people use properly), providing limited collection from our school recycling programs, & is willing to assist, as they can, and as our facility continues to grow. Recycling equipment is very expensive, so how about we support green initiatives where we can. There are many persons & businesses that now deliver their own recyclables for processing & we are happy to accept these CLEAN, SORTED materials at our facility. Currently we are talking with local garbage collectors to assist with facilitating private collection from communities & businesses, hopefully, your neighborhood will be able to sign up soon. There is the one constant when discussing recycling with people here & that is "I'll recycle, but no, I'm not going to pay for it"... The actual process of recycling is not free, & considering transportation and other costs, it is likely it will not be in the immediate future. No where in the world is waste disposal a free process so why do we expect it here. It is time for all of us to participate & help divert government disposal budgets to better processing practices. It is not just big resorts & developments that have a fire burning day & night on top of the mountain, it is every one of us who drops a bag in the dumpster (& yes I do include myself - not everything is recyclable - yet). Every new system takes time to build & catch on, so it is time for people to step up & do their part to make VG the successful pilot program for waste disposal/recycling in the BVI. Should you have any questions regarding recycling here on VG, would like to participate, want to set up a new school program, or green your business place please feel to contact me at Green and Clean (VI) Ltd. 340-7996.