Landfill enhancement project moving apace

The Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development has been steadfastly working to address the issue of solid waste management across the country.

To this end, the ministry, under the leadership of Minister, Nigel Dharamlall has embarked on an initiative to upgrade a number of landfill sites across the country.

The upgrades at the Haags-Bosch landfill site are testimony of this commitment.

The national sanitary landfill facility is receiving a stormwater pond, biofilters, and landfill gas extraction wells to improve its operations.

Minister Dharamlall told the Department of Public Information (DPI) in a recent interview that the construction of the new facilities is on schedule.

“At Haags-Bosch, we have to continuously upgrade the services provided there, and… we have all of those currently being implemented. Of course, there are challenges in terms of natural circumstances—weather, and now in some instances, we have issues with materials. But, at Haags-Bosch, the construction is proceeding on time,” he said.

The minister noted that a contract was awarded last year for the construction of a sanitary landfill site at Blairmont, on the West Bank of Berbice, Region Five.

The road to that facility will also be completed this year.

“Region Five has never had a sanitary landfill, and now we’re able to have one constructed in Region Five. Similarly, in Region Two, we had to close two [landfill] facilities, one at Lima and one at Charity, because of the expanded housing development, and we are currently building one at Zorg-en-Vlygt, on the Essequibo Coast,” Minister Dharamlall disclosed.

In the 2023 budget, some $2.2 billion was set aside for the execution of these projects, as well as the provision of landfill sites at Byderabo, Kildonan, Bon Success, and Kara-Kara.

The allocation also covered the closure of dumpsites at D’Edward Village and Esplanade.

The Bon Success, Lethem landfill has been operationalised, while upgrade works for the facility will be tendered within the next few weeks.

“Kildonan does not have, in that area, a sanitary landfill or a dumpsite. So, on a visit by His Excellency and the Vice President in Region Six, they indicated that one of the issues people raised was the wanton disposal of garbage around communities. And we have since—on their guidance from the outreach—been able to start construction of some small facilities in some of these populated areas. We began last year, and we’re going to intensify this year. So, you will find Kildonan and the other areas, more work being done there,” Minister Dharamlall explained.

Already, the government has placed funds towards the cleanup of Kara-Kara in Region Ten, and Bartica in Region Seven.

Evaluations have been made for the establishment of additional landfill sites in Region One and Nine.