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Dispute between PASA, Solid Waste Management Will Not Stop Garbage Disposal


The municipalities and the general public are hereby informed that the operator of the solid waste transfer stations (San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Burrell Boom, Belize City, San Pedro and Caye Caulker) and the Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill has ceased operations effective January 9th, 2017.

The Ministry and Belize Solid Waste Management Authority (BSWaMA) assures the municipalities and the general public that they are making every effort to contain the situation, and have therefore designated temporary dumping areas on the transfer station compounds to accommodate the garbage that continues to arrive. This is an interim measure.

We take this opportunity to encourage the public to minimize the amount of waste being generated. We kindly ask the users of the transfer stations to cooperate given the circumstances and to dump in the designated areas. The municipalities and the general public at large will be kept abreast of further development.

Government of Belize Press Office

The Solid Waste Management Authority (SWAMA) issued a press release on Tuesday January 10 explaining, "that the operator of the solid waste transfer stations (San Ignacio/Santa Elena, Burrell Boom, Belize City, San Pedro and Caye Caulker) and the Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill has ceased operations effective January 9th, 2017." In its release SWAMA assures the general public that they are making every effort to contain the situation designating temporary dumping areas on the transfer station compounds. It goes on to ask the public to minimize waste.

Speaking to one of the principals in the solid waste management company, PASA, we were told that the company had long been clamouring for an increase in the cost per ton to haul the garbage. That was as a result of under estimation as to the volume of garbage which needed to be hauled to the mile 24 sanitary landfill. Apparently there was 30% less garbage that needed to be hauled to the landfill and that caused for the company to be losing money. PASA was being paid 60 dollars per ton to haul the garbage but the volume simply did not allow for the company to be profitable nonetheless it continued operations while it attempted to negotiate a better price of 90 dollars per ton to haul the garbage. Those negotiations never materialized and after suffering losses in the millions of dollars PASA pulled out this week.

Compounding the problems was the fact that PASA was being met by internal problems of its own where one of the principals was constantly taking the parent company to court for various reasons. As it is, the company currently finds itself in litigation with Lopez Equipment which is one of the partners responsible for hauling the garbage to mile 24.

Belize's solid waste management and transfer stations had become an IDB-financed model project since its inception in 2013.

Guardian

SPTC monitoring dispute between PASA and Solid Waste Management Authority

The idea that the transfer station in San Pedro Town may not be able to ship out garbage from the island due to this situation is raising concerns. The San Pedro Sun caught up with Mayor Daniel Guerrero to find out how they are preparing to address the matter if the issue is not rectified. Guerrero indicated that the issue does not fall under The San Pedro Town Council's (SPTC) jurisdiction; however the island's garbage is taken to the transfer station located in the southern part of the island. Guerrero stressed that garbage collection and the town's sanitation works will continue as per normal. "It is highly unlikely that residents will be affected by this situation between these two companies," said Guerrero. "So far, the transfer station on the island has not stopped receiving the garbage that is being collected, so we will continue taking all the waste to the station until we are told not to do so." Guerrero stated that they will be monitoring the situation, but for the meantime nothing will change.

If the situation does not change, and if the transfer station on the island shuts down, then according to Guerrero, they will fall back to what they used to do before. "We will find other alternatives in order to get rid of the trash if the station stops operating. We might have to start burning the trash as we had done in the past. However, we hope the situation between those two parties is cleared up soon," said Guerrero.

For the time being, The SPTC assures residents that their sanitation department will continue their normal operations. All scheduled garbage pick-ups will run as per normal, while they keep an eye on any updates regarding this issue.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the San Pedro Sun


Garbage Transfer Stations Temporarily Close, Will Garbage Start Piling Up?

Ambergris Today spoke to the Solid Waste Management Authority's manager who was on the island this week and he stated that the transfer stations on the islands of San Pedro and Caye Caulker are not and will not be closed under any circumstance. Garbage collected in the islands need to be shipped to the transfer stations on the mainland and that is where they are being kept temporarily until issues with the contract are sorted out.

He indicated that if garbage isn't being picked up in your area its not the Solid Waste Transfer Stations Management Authority's fault; the supervisor of your area is in charged of making sure everyone's garbage is collected and taken to the transfer station.

Click here to read the rest of the article and see more photos in the Ambergris Today

OPERATIONS AT SOLID WASTE TRANSFER STATIONS AND LANDFILL, WESTERN CORRIDOR

The Ministry Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development and the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority (BSWaMA) hereby informs the general public and the municipalities that the transfer of solid waste from the San Ignacio/Santa Elena - Benque Viejo, Belize City, Burrell Boom and San Pedro Ambergris Caye transfer stations to the Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill is ongoing. We are in the process of sourcing a barge for the servicing of Caye Caulker transfer station, and indications are, that barging will commence on Saturday, January 21st, 2017.

The Ministry and BSWaMA will ensure that solid waste continues to be received at the aforementioned transfer stations between normal working hours, which are: 08:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday and 08:00 AM to 1:00 PM on Saturdays, while the situation with PASA Belize Limited is being sorted out.

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