The Cook’s Landfill continues to be a serious health hazard to the residents of the St. John’s Rural West Constituency.

Everything goes to the landfill including raw sewage. There is pollution of ground and surface water. The nearby mangrove is already contaminated and the contamination makes its way to the sea.

Take a look at the environmental degradation caused by the longstanding neglect of the Cook’s Landfill. How long must we continue to suffer? We need action now! We are tired of the promises.

We, the residents of Five Islands, Hatton, and Denfields are constantly exposed to the health hazards emanating from the landfill. This has reached a breaking point and it is time for real solutions.

The decision to relocate the Five Islands Primary School closer to the landfill, and the increased threat to our health & safety are even more reasons for the issues to be expeditiously addressed.

It is encouraging that the Cabinet of Antigua and Barbuda has discussed the issue and promised to address some of the problems. However, promises have been made before and very little action taken. We need action now!

The following issues continue to plague the operation of the landfill:

There is a serious shortage of technical staff. There is reactive management rather than being proactive.

The landfill is more overwhelmed than ever before.

Standard procedures are often ignored. This includes failing to cover landfill waste with soil at the end of the workday. As a matter of fact, not enough soil is provided to cover the waste.

Staff members are suffering with inadequate equipment, and are not being provided with the training they require to address the deteriorating situation.

There are serious waste compaction issues.

There is very little waste separation, if any. Everything, including combustibles and raw sewage, goes to the landfill. Waste separation should ideally start at the producers of the waste.

There is no tyre shredder at the landfill.

Until a tyre shredder can be commissioned, the tyres should be placed in small separated piles, with a trench surrounding each pile to prevent the spreading of fire.

I urge NSWMA to implement a proper Waste Diversion Plan and Policy, to ensure constant health hazards and operational issues become a thing of the past.

Video clips credit to Mr. Lionel Michael.

Richard S. Lewis MP

Rural West to the Bone