Garbage compaction at the George Town landfill is set to resume now that the Department of Environmental Health has acquired a $730,000 compactor.
In response to Compass queries, DEH confirmed that a Bomag BC 972 Refuse Compactor was received on 13 April and, once fully assembled, it will be placed into service.
“The equipment is currently being assembled on site and it’s expected to go into operation in May following the completion of training for the operators,” the DEH said.
The department has been without a compactor since April 2022. During that time, the landfill has been plagued by multiple fires of varying degrees – the worse of which was observed smouldering for two weeks in February this year.
The previous compactor – the Al Jon 500 – which was purchased in 2015, experienced a complete engine failure after seven years of service, though its life expectancy was 10 years.
However, efforts are under way to get the machine back up and running.
“A new engine is currently being sorted to install in the Al Jon Compactor which will be placed back in operation as a backup unit,” the DEH said.
While the new compactor is expected to help rein in the fires at the landfill, it will not address the larger problem.
An in-depth report into the state of the landfill reveals a dire situation as the site is running out of space, and government and private sector entities try to resolve the issue and prevent another major fire.
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