🗑️ George Town landfill expected to last until waste-to-energy facility is completed

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) has estimated that the George Town landfill should have enough space for another four to five years, based on the current rate of waste disposal. This is expected to be sufficient time for the completion of the planned waste-to-energy (WTE) facility. Richard Simms, DEH Director, stated that if the landfill runs out of space before the WTE facility is completed, the department would have to consider landfilling elsewhere, although no alternative site has been identified so far. 🚛

Despite the contract for a national waste management system, including a WTE facility at the George Town location, being awarded to a consortium led by Dart in 2017, there is still no start date for the project. The project is expected to take three years to complete once started. The delay, coupled with a growing population and increasing tourism numbers, poses a risk of running out of landfill space. Furthermore, recycling efforts have been limited and a proposed single-use plastic ban has not materialised, adding to the pressure on the landfill. 🏭

Simms also mentioned that proposed composting programmes and campaigns to reduce and reuse waste will not start until the deal with Dart for the entire project is signed. This means that green waste is still being sent to the landfill, and there is no provision for a reuse exchange centre or campaigns to encourage the community to reduce waste. Despite these challenges, negotiations for the ReGen project between the Cayman Islands Government and the Dart Consortium are ongoing. 📑