Illegal dumping persists ‘despite SSA pleas’

Another unsightly case of indiscriminate dumping has come to light along Knights Land in the Westbury area of St Michael, prompting authorities to once again urge people to refrain from the filthy practice.

Carl Alff Padmore, public relations officer of the Sanitation Service Authority (SSA), expressed frustration at the heap of used wood which he estimated amounted to “the equivalent of half a chattel house” along the roadside.

He noted that the area, a popular illegal dumping site, has been cleaned every week by SSA workers since last Christmas but despite those efforts, dumpers persist.

“We would have intensified the cleaning of the area because it is an area that is being traversed heading into Kensington Oval,” Padmore said. “We would urge Barbadians to desist from this practice because what we see here can easily make its way into the drainage. As you know, this is the rainy season and this could easily lead to flooding; flooding can also lead to the breeding of mosquitoes. We would want Barbadians to be more conscious of their environment.”

The SSA spokesman said the act was also puzzling since it comes at the height of a national initiative to remove bulky waste from households across the country.

“The SSA has started to move around communities to collect bulky waste,” he said. “This is very worrisome and we are really urging the person/s who have done this to really do the correct thing and remove it.”

Padmore reminded that Barbadians do not have to pay to take waste to the landfill and pointed out that the SSA also has a skip service.

“So, Barbadians, if you really love your country, love your city, let us do better to clean it up,” he said.

Last month,  Minister of Environment Adrian Forde urged the public to help the authorities by identifying people involved in unlawful dumping.

He said tackling the practice required critical community involvement, describing the issue as “a scourge that must be tackled”.

Forde encouraged citizens to photograph or film perpetrators, rather than record accidents or share harmful content on phones.

“Under the Health Services Regulation and the Health Services Act, there are specific fees and penalties for those contributing to this act,” he said, warning that offenders should expect the full force of the law.

The minister also revealed plans to install covert cameras to monitor illegal dumping sites, but emphasised the need for public participation: “The cost will be borne by generations to come when you destroy the ecosystem and create a health hazard.” (SD)