National Assembly greenlights $1.3B for solid waste management

– $400M approve to upgrade Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill Site

The National Assembly on Thursday approved a budgetary allocation of $1.3 billion to the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development to upgrade the country’s solid waste management sites.

A significant portion of $400 million from the allocated sum will go towards the upgrading of the Haags Bosch Sanitary Landfill Site which is located at Eccles, East Bank Demerara (EBD).

The allocation of the funds follows after a deliberation at the Parliamentary Committee of Supply.

Minister Sonia Parag elaborated on the allocations, stating “We are committed as a government to ensuring that we continue to develop our landfill sites…And so we have committed $400 million for the Haags Bosch.”

Last year, the house approved some $300 million for the site.

In addition, to the Haags Bosch waste facility, Minister Parag told the committee that upgrades are planned for 14 other landfill sites.

“We are building more cells at the Haags Bosch as well as operational systems,” the minister proffered.

Moreover, another $1.2 billion of capital expenditure was approved by the committee for the provision of solid waste management interventions.

This entails provision for studies and surveys of the sites and provision for regional landfill sites waste management equipment.

Under the provision of waste management equipment, Minister Parag said the ministry will be purchasing one portable tyre shredder, two stationary compactor bins, two water, and air quality testing equipment, skip bins, and a truck.

In 2023, the government opened six new landfill sites at various locations across the country.