Cayman’s environment minister, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, says the ever-growing George Town landfill poses a threat to the environment, health and the economy and is “an urgent national priority”.
Ebanks-Wilks’ comments came after she toured the landfill, nicknamed Mount Trashmore, last week on World Environment Day, 5 June.
“Standing at the edge of the landfill today, it is painfully clear that this is not just an environmental problem – it’s an urgent national priority that affects our land, our health and our economy,” she said in a press release detailing her visit, which was part of an orientation exercise for departments under her new remit.
She added, “The Cayman Islands needs a waste system that works, and I am fully committed to delivering one that is both affordable and built to last.”
A deal to remediate the current George Town landfill and create a waste-to-energy and recycling facility collapsed last year. As a result, the recently seated government administration has to look at new approaches to address the issue.
The release from government on Wednesday noted that the landfill, which spans 58 acres, has been operating since the 1970s and is taking in around 13,000 cubic yards of solid waste every month.
‘Tough job’
Ebanks-Wilks commended the work of staff at the Department of Environmental Health, which employs more than 180 workers.
“It was a pleasure to meet members of the Department who work tirelessly, often at hours when many of us are still asleep. Their hard work is what is required to ensure the landfill sites in Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands [are] safe,” she said.
“Working at a waste management and recycling facility is certainly a tough and often overlooked job. I want to thank all staff for their commitment, resilience and expertise in keeping the Cayman Islands clean and safe.”
Related Videos
They need to do waste to energy but CUC is against it and since so many people own CUC shares, they are locked into the pyramid scheme.
Can’t go clean solar.
Can’t go waste to energy.
Only can burn fossil fuels that are imported by fossil fuels.
Yes, there is not financial impetus to change. And on top of that, CUC is majority foreign owned, but we NEVER hear anyone talking about that. We only hear about how foreigners take jobs and Status holders own businesses. We need to change the narrative and start getting the majority to speak up.
Status holders are citizens and like every other citizen are ENTITLED to own businesses.
Foreigners certainly take jobs, but almost always jobs that “born” Caymanians don’t want to take or are not qualified to take. They also create jobs.
I’m sure there are genuine cases where qualified Caymanians apply for a job and are not considered. This is wrong.
If you can’t get a good job then perhaps you need to up your education.
Government already owns large acreages of vacant land, east of Newlands, west of Bodden Town and north of the new section of the Ariel By-Pass. Perfect location for a new landfill. Far away from residential homes and outside of Georgetown.
Some may say it is swamp land but, in 1983 when I was hired to help civil engineer the existing Landfill averages & Waste Water Treatment Plant acreages, this whole area was swamp land.
Since 1983 there is now awesome civil engineering designs just for Landfills in swamp lands.