Is the waste-to-energy study a waste? I am studying it.

The Cayman Islands public will have an opportunity to provide feedback on a draft National Solid Waste Management Policy for the Cayman Islands.

During the consultation period of 16 June – 15 July 2015 the public will be able to offer input that may impact the direction of future waste management options, as the process of developing an integrated solid waste management system for the country continues.

The Health Ministry’s solid waste management consultants AMEC Foster Wheeler worked with the Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS) Steering Committee to produce the draft policy. It outlines a vision for solid waste management, values that will guide public sector work in this field, as well as strategic directions and corresponding objectives.

Accordingly while the vision calls for “integrated, sustainable and effective waste management for the Cayman Islands”, the values stipulate that this must take place in the context of a waste management hierarchy that prioritises reduction, reuse, recycling and recovery, and views disposal as a last resort.

The above is taken from our article published June 15 2015 “Public Consultation Planned for Cayman Islands Solid Waste Management Policy” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/public-consultation-planned-for-cayman-islands-solid-waste-management-policy/

Two drafts were published last week for the public consultation. One was Integrated Solid Waste Management System update and the other a draft National Solid Waste Management Policy consultation document.

There is precious little in either document that claims conclusively if we proceed with X we will achieve Y. However, this is a policy document not a solution.

There is a warning informing us the landfill in George Town and those on the Sister Islands are “under considerable strain and cannot deliver against the modern challenge for improved sustainability”. All three dumps “pose a potential ongoing threat to the local environment”.

Well. Well. I thought we all knew this. In fact we knew this over fifteen years ago and more…

We heard back over the last two years from then Minister of Health, Osbourne Bodden that the consultants were going to provide a model that would solve once and for all our Mount Trashmore problem that fouls the air with its smell and catches on fire more times than we would wish.

The report really does not come up with much of a solution. Instead the authors have said disposal of waste will be the last resort and the public will have to pay a premium if that is to continue.

““We believe that the generators of waste should be responsible and bear their proper share of costs for waste management,” says the report.

In fact the consultants recommend another study to determine if gas could be mined from the existing George Town landfill and its suitability for use in a waste-to-energy plant. The consultants warn the quality of some of the waste may not be suitable for such an operation and the mining process could create a bad odour.

We already have the bad odour. Just go to Courts Road off Eastern Avenue in George Town and walk down the road to the end. As many days as not you can smell Mount Trashmore and it is not pleasant. I am told the residents must close their windows shut at night because of it.

And yet another study is recommended to find out the cost of executing proper infrastructure to export electricity that could be created there and placed on the national grid. And if that isn’t enough another one, to determine how much land will be left at the George Town site for landfill once it has been sealed, covered with topsoil and perhaps eventually turned into a park.

Remember, every study delays action but satisfies politicians we are making progress.

Another recommendation in the report we already knew – tyres should be removed from the site along with metal.

If mining is found feasible the report warns this would delay considerably the implementation of the capping of the landfill site.

The only concrete recommendation I can find is if we make waste we will have to pay for its disposal.

Government would I am sure like to implement that in a heartbeat.

I was expecting more and we are no further down the road to solving our problem that gets bigger every day. We can produce study after study but how many more studies must be done before someone makes the decision. This is what we are going to do. No more studies. Action now.

Was the waste report a waste? I am sure government doesn’t think so but they studying it.

Now it’s time for you to study it and have your say.

We could engage the services of the great detective Sherlock Holmes. He has been brought to the 21st century as can be seen by two popular television programmes. He should solve our problem quickly. Our Chief Medical Officer of Health is retiring and would be a good side-kick for Holmes.

I am going to write a series of novels featuring Holmes and Mani and my first will be called “A Study in Waste”. All the action takes place on Mount Trashmore.

It has to be a better read than another government study.