SSA Collection Details for April & May 2009

The Sanitation Service Authority would like Barbadians to please note the collections concerning National Heroes Day and May Day 2009.

Tuesday 28th April 2009, refuse collections run their normal routes and both Mangrove and Bagatelle disposal sites will be open from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm.

On Friday 1st May 2008 all SSA departments will be closed,

 including all disposal sites and the five national cemeteries.

The Authority is reminding the public that the SSA cleans up before and after any special events – call us at either 430-5019 or 430-5052. Let’s keep Barbados clean at all times!

Remember; do not set out any refuse until 6:00 pm on the night before your next collection. SSA Management and Staff thank the public in advance for their support during these holidays.

GOVERNMENT COMMITTED TO 4R’s PHILOSOPHY

The Barbados Government has reiterated its commitment to the three R’s philosophy – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – and has added a fourth – Recovery!

This commitment was recently enunciated by Minister of the Environment, Dr. Denis Lowe, while addressing the launch of the University of the West Indies’ Recycling Initiative at the Errol Barrow Centre for Creative Imagination.

“Government…is absolutely committed to the 3R’S philosophy of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, and at the launch of the 3R’s fair on September 13, 2008; we introduced a 4th – Recovery – as part of Government’s commitment to adding waste-to-energy to the equation for addressing solid waste management in Barbados,” the Minister told the gathering of recyclers, university officials and other guests.

Making it clear that returning items for reuse or recycling was “not a new practice for Barbadians”, Dr. Lowe cited the Returnable Containers Act of 1986 which, according to him, had “worked well” to reduce the amounts of glass and plastic containers entering the landfill. He noted, however, that it did not adequately address other containers.

“For this reason, the Act is being revised to ensure that it is more relevant to today’s situation, as the number and types of items that can be recycled have increased,” the Minister explained.

Minister Lowe, however, stressed that several types of waste were still being recycled on the island, including paper, plastics, glass, ferrous and non-ferrous materials, cooking and automotive oils, newsprint, cardboard, batteries and other electronic wastes.

Dr. Lowe said Government was also embarking on a number of initiatives including the establishment of the Solid Waste Management Centre at Vaucluse, St. Thomas. The facility will include a transfer station for the processing and sorting of waste; a chemical waste storage facility; as well as a materials recovery and composting facility.

He added that Government was also examining the feasibility of pursuing a number of waste-to-energy options, including incineration and the conversion of landfill gas-to-energy. (CG)

BARBADOS' MINISTRY OF THE ENVIROMENT RELEASE – RE: OFFICIAL OPENING OF CITY DEPOT AND PUBLIC BATH, REED STREET

This opening holds a special significance for the Authority, as it enters its 40^th year of service to this country. The Authority’s mission is to create and sustain a clean environment aimed at improving the health and welfare of all Barbadians.

Government thanks the City depot staff for their hard work over the years operating under limited circumstances. Now that better facilities are available we know that you will continue to give good service. It is a joy to see how clean Bridgetown is kept by SSA workers from as early as 3:00 am. and stays clean until 7:00 am - but it is sad to see how dirty the City gets by 8:00 am, Barbadians need to be more considerate and keep Bridgetown tidy.

The public must also do their part to assist staff of the Authority in keeping Barbados clean. Barbados is our home and we should all take care of it for ourselves and visitors alike.

As most of the world experiences downturns in their economies, it is even more important for us to preserve the beauty of our island and keep it clean so that it remains a popular destination for visitors who seek a respite from hard times.

This depot is a part of our Government’s effort to ensure the workers of Bridgetown have pleasant and modern surroundings from which to operate.

Looking back momentarily… The City Depot was once housed at Temple Yard, where the Old Town Hall Centre is now located. The depot was then temporarily located to the old St Mary’s School. We want to thank the Anglican Church for renting us that location.

After years of seeking a permanent location one was found right here at Reed Street.

In 1997 a decision was made to construct a new depot and Kero Construction was awarded the contract to build this complex.

Having a depot located in Bridgetown is key to keeping the City clean. It allows push-carters to have easier access both to the streets and their headquarters.

The workers operate from here, and they are responsible for washing the streets and cleaning the drains of the City. It should also be noted Bridgetown has 13 collections per week - Monday to Saturday twice a day as well as on Sunday mornings.

This site was previously a bath which was operated by the Authority. This complex has all the latest amenities. We want those who will use the public bath to take very good care of it bearing in mind that any repairs will cost the taxpayer, and this means all of us. The City Depot and Public Bath is also showing the way forward in proper environmental practices by reusing the rainwater from the roof. Rainwater is stored in a reservoir at the rear of the compound and pumped out to wash down the dumpers and other vehicles at Reed Street.

Collecting and disposing of refuse is not just the job of a Sanitation worker. It is everyone cooperating together!

All City businesses need to remember they must flatten their boxes and bind them into bundles before disposal; alleyways need to be kept clear for the Authority’s vehicles and emergency vehicles such as Fire and Police to have easy access when they need to reach trouble spots in a hurry.

Broken glass should be wrapped in newspaper then bagged and placed in the middle of a refuse bag before disposal.

The SSA is concerned with finding adequate locations for stationary compactors, skips and bins within the City. We would like to work together with all interested parties in finding locations.

Over the last year, This Democratic Labour Party administration has provided more affordable housing for many Barbadians. This has led to more houses and developments across the island. As a result the Authority is constantly refining its collection routes. The Authority is working with all relevant Government agencies to maximise on the old routes and streamline new areas to ensure everyone gets two collections per week, although the statutory requirements are one (1) collection per week.

In an effort to improve its service the Authority is undertaking a number of initiatives:-

• The public bath at Speightstown is under renovation and is expected to be completed soon;

• The baths at Green Park Lane and King William Street will be demolished and new ones will be constructed during the next financial year.

• Re-training mechanics in fleet management systems;

• Ensuring that the roof of the Mechanical Workshop is repaired in this financial year;

• The refurbishment of cemeteries as part of heritage tourism in 2009-2010. This will also include repairs to the chapels at all five national cemeteries and horticulture training for staff.

• Conducting a survey of the current collection routes in an effort to improve collections;

• Acquisition of open-backed trucks to develop a regularised Bulky Waste collection.

On the topic of bulk waste, the Sanitation Service Authority in conjunction with other government agencies and the private sector will continue its bulk collections in every parish.

Government remains committed to the proper management of Solid Waste practices with modern technology for the collection and disposal of waste. The Government of David Thompson is also examining waste to energy and waste diversion options.

The Ministry of the Environment, Water Resources and Drainage also intends to create legislation to prosecute anyone caught littering. Illegal dumping must be stamped out once and for all.

Government also intends to procure new equipment for the Authority and to improve its human resources.

Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority commissions new tirebaler

Discarded tires on Nevis will soon be put to use thanks to a new Encore Systems Tirebaler at the Long Point Landfill. The US $60, 000 piece of new equipment sponsored by the Canada Fund and the Nevis Island Administration (NIA) was just commissioned by Nevisian Minister of Health Hon. Hensley Daniel.

The tirebaler was accessed through a collaborative partnership conceived by the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority with the assistance of the Nevis Historical and Conservation Society who contacted the Canada Fund. The Four Seasons Resorts Estates provided transportation and paid the freight from Miami to Nevis.

Minister Daniel referred to the partnership as a move embraced by the NIA, who had endeavoured to marry its resources with that of the community, the corporate community and civic organizations to develop the island.

He said ultimately, all who lived on Nevis should have a solid interest to ensure that the island was esthetically appealing particularly as tourism was a mainstay of the island's economy.

"When we market the country we don't just sell a villa, we sell environment. In selling the environment we need to know that we are selling a safe and secure environment which is healthy.

"So if we are going to continue to make the island attractive to visitors and high end visitors in particular we have to promote this kind of partnership," he said.

The Minister said it was important to bear in mind that the tirebaler came at a time when there was an increase in the number of vehicles on Nevis and the incidence of abandoned tires was up.

He explained that the new equipment which also had the ability to compress plastic and cardboard material would help to eradicate breeding grounds for mosquitoes and also provide the opportunity for the Authority to engage others who were involved in recycling and as such extend the life of the landfill.

Manager of the Authority Ms. Carlyn Lawrence indicated that the need for a tire baler was realized in 2007 but there had been many setbacks. However, the Authority had planned to use the baled tires on local soil erosion projects and also to divert the waste for recycling.

Not withstanding, she described as another excellent benefit, the elimination of a mosquito habitat for breeding because baled tires could not catch water.

Ms. Lawrence thanked all those who made it possible for making the tire baler available to the Authority.

Other remarks came from Executive Director of the NHCS Mr. John Guilbert, General Manager of the Four Seasons Resorts Estates Ms. Martha Isbister and Mr. Dick Charlebois of Encore Systems in Minnesota.

Wrong Items at Edgecumbe Quarry - CONSTRUCTION & DEMOLITION WASTE ONLY

The Sanitation Service Authority (SSA) is reminding all construction firms there are only two sites for disposing Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste; these materials are only to be sent to either –

Edgecumbe Quarry, Bentley Tenantry, St Philip

OR Parsons Quarry, Foster Hall, St George

The opening hours for the sites are 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Mondays through Fridays; after hours or on Sundays please notify the SSA.

The permitted materials for these facilities are as follows –

SOFT STONE

DEMOLISHED BRICKWORK

TREE TRIMMINGS

BRUSH

TOPSOIL

UNBAGGED GRASS (NO PLASTIC ALLOWED)

LOGS

LARGE BOULDERS

Not so long ago, the Authority found old appliances at Edgecumbe which were more appropriate for the Bagatelle Metal Facility, and the Authority alerted the Police to prevent any further instances.

There are signs at both sites indicating trucks must pause and liaise with officers before depositing any material(s).

Nevis receives new garbage truck from their Social Security Board

Nevis' Ministry of Health was the recipient of a brand new garbage truck, which was funded by the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board.

The keys to the US$142,000 (EC$384,000) Mack truck, were handed over to Minister of Health in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Hensley Daniel by Director of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board Mrs. Sephlin Lawrence. The important ceremony was held at their Low Ground Landfill late July.

Mr. Daniel said it was no surprise that Social Security engaged the Ministry of Health since its contributions came from workers

“The Ministry of Health has an interest and a responsibility to ensure that workers are healthy so that when workers are healthy they will work and by working they will contribute to Social Security so this is in a way an investment in the workers of the country to ensure that they remain healthy because we want to make sure that garbage is properly disposed off and in addition to that they have an interest in the aesthetic beauty of the country.

“If the country is beautiful the visitors [will] come. The people who work in tourism they will get more work and they will contribute to Social Security. So I want to thank them for being in that philosophical mindset. This is not something that is Social Security over here and health over there but Social Security and Health are intertwined,” he said.

The Minister also made the point that in Third World countries contributions of that nature were often referred to as gifts but they were not because they were derived from workers contributions therefore they should be maintained and should be treated as though they were personal.

Mr. Daniel explained that the Nevis Island Administration through the Ministry of Health did not approach an overseas friendly country for funds to purchase the truck but instead sought to forge a long and fruitful partnership with the Social Security Board.

“What we have done is to seek to build a partnership with Social Security to see if we can do things locally and I am particularly happy that in 1978 when Social Security started I was just about beginning to work with the public service and there was so much opposition to Social Security because nobody wanted their contribution to come out.

“I think more than anything, the institution [Social Security] has demonstrated its commitment to the public. We can look around and see investments in housing, we see investment in education through scholarships and now of course as the Minister of Health, I have to make sure they tip the balance to health as well and so we look forward to a long and productive relationship with Social Security,” he said.

Chairman of the Social Security Board Mr. Halva Hendrickson said the funding came from part of the institution’s annual contribution which was made to both Nevis and St. Kitts in the health services and it was their way of giving back to the people.

Mr. Hendrickson also noted that St. Kitts had faced a similar problem where the garbage trucks had gone bad and private persons had been hired to collect garbage. Nonetheless, he said Nevis was ahead in their request for a new garbage truck.

“In fact in St. Kitts we have a similar problem where our garbage trucks have gone bad and they had to hire some private people but they have not come to us yet but it looks as though Nevis is more on the ball because Nevis is now here [ahead] and they have their garbage truck.

“I suppose what will happen in the end, is that somebody might have to come and say just as Nevis has cleared the way St. Kitts will have to clear the way and follow. So we are very happy to be here and we expect that this truck will be used for the benefit of the people of Nevis,” he said.

Meantime, while she thanked Mr. Daniel and the Social Security board for the new garbage truck, Ms. Carlyn Lawrence Director of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority explained that unlike the previous garbage trucks, the new one had had a greater capacity to meet the needs of a growing island.

“Waste management is a new thing for us on these small islands. It’s a progression into keeping up with the latest technology and the latest equipment available and so we are very happy to have the truck and we want to say thank you and give you our assurance that we will do everything that we can to take good care of it and keep it going for as many years as we can keep it going for.

“We got this truck because we needed the size, the island is growing and there is expansion everyday. [The truck] has the capacity of containing 25 yards of waste [because of its] compaction. So it can clean an entire parish without having to make a second trip. We are going to ensure that responsible people drive it and that we take good care of what has been offered to us,” she said.

The ceremony was chaired by Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Chairman of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority Mrs. Joslyn Liburd, Deputy Chairman of the St. Christopher and Nevis Social Security Board His Excellency Mr. Steve Rensford, Assistant directors (Nevis) Mr. Elvin Bailey and Mr. Vernel Powell and Members of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority Board Ms. Hope Merchant and Mr. Ron Daniel.

SSA clean up of Drax Hall concludes – 50 tonnes removed!

The Sanitation Service Authority successfully removed 14 truckloads of bulky waste from Bydes Mill, Drax Hall Woods, Drax Hall Jump and Drax Hall.

Sanitation sent 50 tonnes of bulky waste for processing; both ten-wheeler trucks and small open-backed lorries were used to complete the work.

SSA Superintendent of the South Terence Mitchell, SSA Plant Superintendent Derek Brereton coordinated with Basil Pilgrim, Senior Environmental Health Officer to direct teams removing bundles of wood, sheets of galvanise, old refrigerators in addition to stoves as well as other bulky items.

The bulky waste removal is part of the SSA’s ongoing programme to encourage everyone to keep Barbados clean all the time.

URGENT/CORRECTION: No Collection This Friday, but Errol Barrow Day will be regular refuse removal

The Sanitation Service Authority is informing the public this Friday 18^th January 2008 there will be no waste collection for the extra public holiday, and all disposal sites plus the five national cemeteries will be closed that same day.

There will be a regular collection of refuse from all scheduled routes on the Errol Barrow public holiday Monday 21^st January 2008, but all five national cemeteries remain closed.

Mangrove Pond Sanitary Landfill will open from 6:00 am until 2:00 pm and Bagatelle from 6:00 am to 12:noon on Errol Barrow Day.

The SSA is reminding everyone to freeze all offal until their next due day of collection; also – do not put out any refuse until 6:00 pm the night before the next collection day.

Sanitation thanks Barbadians for their co-operation and wishes everybody safe and clean public holidays.

RECYCLING LAWS TO BE IMPROVED - MORE MONEY FROM REFUSE SOON

Waste, once considered in a negative light, is now being regarded as a resource to be diverted to a more useful end.

This is a fact which the Solid Waste Project Unit (SWPU) wants Barbadians to be aware of as it implements a comprehensive recycling programme over the next few months.

The SWPU has indicated that there are a number of businesses which have sprung up to meet the needs of recycling in Barbados. “Companies are turning plastic pet bottles, news print, rum bottles, cooking oil and automotive batteries, to name a few items, into big bucks”.

The Unit realizes that not many individuals are aware of the various places where one can take automotive oil, non-ferrous metals (metals not containing iron, including aluminum drink cans) as well as ferrous metals, and that organic waste can benefit from home composting.

As the agency responsible for implementing the Integrated Solid Waste Management Programme (ISWMP), the SWPU is moving swiftly to educate the population about recycling and where waste materials can be taken.The SWPU has been joined by a number of companies which undertake recycling. Most of these, entrepreneurial ventures, have committed themselves to work with the Project Unit, in not only managing the solid waste on the island but also by giving visibility to the efforts at reducing, reusing, recycling.

Persons interested in recycling materials have several businesses to choose from, depending on the items to be discarded. For instance, PET bottles can be returned to B’s Bottle Depot, at Cane Garden St. Thomas, or Eagle Hall, St. Michael. Supermarkets all over the island also accept PET plastic bottles; left over cooking oil is recycled at Native Sun NRG currently located at the Future Centre, Edghill, St. Thomas while office paper is accepted at Ace Recycling, Massiah Street. St. John.

In relation to organic waste, this can be composted.

While Tropical Batteries, located at Fontabelle, and B’s Bottle Depot are known for collecting automotive batteries, automotive oil is usually recycled at Machinery and Allied Engineering Services, Deighton Road, St. Michael.
Non ferrous metals are recycled at Recycling Preparation Inc. at Warrens Industrial Park; while ferrous metals are accepted at B’s Bottle Depot.

The Project Unit, in association with the Barbados Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation, Ministry of Agriculture and the Sanitation Service Authority, is also hosting a number of home composting workshops to equip persons with the required knowledge to turn their organic waste into a useful product.

These were started in May of this year. The list of recyclers/waste brokers can be obtained from the Solid Waste Project Unit by calling 427-5910/11