Confirmation that construction to rehabilitate and ultimately close St. Maarten's landfill by 2032 is expected to begin next year is most welcome. Government and the National Recovery Programme Bureau (NRPB) have committed to an intervention to “reshape and stabilise” the dump, construct protective infrastructure and eventually cap as well as vegetate the site.
Related works with an estimated duration of three years have already been tendered and bids are currently undergoing technical evaluation. A financial evaluation will follow before a contractor is selected.
Although the project is financed through the Dutch-sponsored Trust Fund administered by the World Bank, closing the landfill is only part of the challenge. Government will also need a sustainable alternative for processing trash once the facility is no longer available.
Options being examined include waste-to-energy, export and billing arrangements in collaboration with surrounding islands. Because the relocation of businesses currently operating on the site is not eligible for financing under the applicable World Bank procedures, a provision of approximately 2.7 million Caribbean Guilders will be sought to assist accommodate project-affected parties and facilitate implementation.
The aim is to achieve 75% waste diversion and 100% professional collection by 2030. The transition is expected to focus on prevention, reuse, recycling, composting, while maintaining controlled disposal for waste that cannot otherwise be processed.
All that sounds good, but no clarity can yet be given on exactly what happens after 2032, which especially for a country with a tourism economy remains a key priority. Already issues with district cleaning and related services have become a major point of concern.
The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure VROMI is launching new five-year contracts that include functioning waste collection, maintained collection points, improved management of bins, removal of stray garbage and clearer communication about collection schedules.
An independent waste authority is to provide professional management of the sector while government increasingly focusses on legislation, regulation, enforcement and oversight. Household garbage collection fees may be expected and the weight bridge at the dump will no doubt be used to charge for deposits at some point in the near future.
The latter should surprise nobody and ought not be a problem, as long as the levy amounts are reasonable. All over the world, people have generally learned you must pay for your trash.
