DEH urges residents to stop fly tipping
Garbage in Beach Bay (file photo)
(CNS): The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is currently running a campaign to urge residents to dispose of garbage properly and to stop fly tipping. While the department is still struggling with its regular residential collection schedules, it is asking people to use the 24-hour drop-off site located at the entrance of the George Town Landfill to dispose of domestic bulky items such as old furniture, tree branches, smaller metals, and household hazardous waste like cooking oils, grease, paint, solvents, bleach or cleaning supplies.
“In recent weeks, we have observed a proliferation of illegal dumpsites,” said DEH Acting Director Richard Simms. “Included in several of these dumpsites are electronic items, large appliances, landscaping waste and derelict vehicles. These dumpsites are not only unsightly but are also illegal and have public health and environmental implications.”
The DEH is committed to pick up household and commercial garbage on scheduled days, and aims to retrieve any uncollected garbage within 48 hours after the scheduled pick-up day, the officials added, but asked people to help.
To facilitate efficient collections, residents must ensure that their garbage is appropriately packaged and easily accessible to DEH collection crews. DEH collectors will not pick up garbage that is not suitably packaged or that contains items that should not be placed with the household garbage.
Meanwhile, large quantities of household garbage, commercial garbage or debris from landscaping and construction debris, derelict vehicles and equipment, as well as hazardous waste, such as oil drums, can be taken to the main section of the George Town Landfill, which is opened from 7:30am to 6:30pm, Mondays to Saturdays.
Fly tipping and the dumping of all garbage is illegal under the Cayman Islands Litter Law and Public Health Regulations. Government is planning a major anti-litter campaign this year.
During his Strategic Policy Statement last month, setting out government policy priorities for the next two years, Premier Alden McLaughlin said that the Cayman Islands have always been a relatively clean place but things were deteriorating and litter had become increasingly prevalent.
“We need to act now before littering of our streets, beaches and open spaces gets completely out of control,” he said, before announcing plans for a major anti-litter campaign. “We need to re-educate both locals and tourists as to what is expected from them; we need to provide better facilities for waste and, in time, for street recycling bins; and we need to look again at the litter laws and their enforcement.”
For more information on the 24-hour drop-off site, DEH residential pick-up schedule or how to package household garbage, visit the DEH website or its Facebook page.
Category: Environmental Health, Health
This situation is only going to worsen if the dump or new landfill site(s) start charging tipping fees as they do in most developed countries.
The ignorant mindset of these illegal tippers has to change either by heavy fines, education, community service penalties or by serving jail time.
As usual DEH/RCIPS are behind the curve, apathetic, and have no foot soldiers to police the problem.
It need more dump centres. One in each district. That will help people to take trash to correct place without driving half of the island to the landfill.
Lazy
a 22 mile long island should not need multiple dump centres…..zzzzzzzzzzz
who said caymanins were lazy????
I’ve suggested this before and will do so again – the DEH needs to establish satellite tipping stations away from the central facility in George Town. People are showing that they will haul their rubbish away from their property, they just don’t want to have to haul it into town.
A facility of similar style to the GT drop-off in a few locations around the island would give people and alternative and get the rubbish into skiffs/bins that the DEH can take to the landfill.
I would have to agree, most people seem to fly tip because it’s easier, so make doing the right thing easier by having a few dumpster sites nearer to the problem. I would also suggest that a few cameras in the problem areas would help, carrot and stick!
This dumping is NOT to do with DEH not collecting your garbage. They do not pick up large items as noted in the article and pictures. These items are dumped out of sheer laziness rather than the loooooooong drive to the dump. Plain and simple. Lazyass people that cannot be bothered to do the right thing.
You should see the dump in Cayman Brac it is a disgrace, garbage piled up against the beautiful Bluff face, no one in control of this dump.
If they are doing nothing, you, the people, can do something, at least until it all sorted out. Ban (or stop buying) packaged goods (merchants would not like it, therefore would be forced to do something about the problem), and return to the old fashioned way of purchasing goods. That would reduce waste significantly.
Homeowners, if they are forced or really want to, could reduce the amount of stuff going to garbage, significantly. Just 50 years ago garbage probably didn’t exist in this country.
Just 50 years ago garbage probably didn’t exist in this country
Hmm.. wonder if it’s because the population was like a tenth of what it is now?
that and people were recycling, reusing every piece of paper, every glass jar. Goods weren’t overpackaged. 1 kilo of macaroni would have gone to your hat if you didn’t bring your own bag.
If I can’t get DEH to pick up my rubbish in a timely manner then I’m going to fly tip away!
Just burn it.
1:55 i don’t know what your background is, but your comment is borderline retarded. Chernobyl would look like a paradise compared to a burning 30 years old dump. Every sq.inch on the island and every atoms of each person’s body would be heavily poisoned for decades, if not longer. Nature would eventually recover, but buildings and structures would need to be demolished and safely disposed of. But there would be no mighty people left to do that. Future generations would be (if) born with myriad of congenital defects. But since nature aborts defective fetuses, i doubt many would be born.
So you are stuck with your Dump. Waste to energy miracle plant you all hope for would deliver exact same results. 75%of wte cost associated with safety measures. The word safety is foreign to this country run by inept people.
Amen!
Therein lies the problem. Instead of assisting the government in mitigating the problem , while not your job , should be your concern as a responsible citizen of the territory . Its known as Civic Pride . Help the government & its employees at DEH assigned to manage the garbage problem . Give the next garbage collection truck crew a 6 pack of cold water or sodas the next time they drive down your street . Its called showing your appreciation.
I wonder if DOH see that there’s a major problem in the Department., why they are having such big problem keeping up .
Why a little rich modern Island has a big problem with the garbage system ? But other big modern places don’t have the problem .
Time for the DOH to take responsibility for the Department and live up to .
DEH
Can’t wait to see the entire island turning into a stinking Dump. Too late to do anything about it.
It’s not too late. Unless a hurricane hits us this season.
Fly tipping????
Fly-tipping = Illegal dumping. Not sure why they just didn’t say that in the first place!
Yes. Normally 15%, but sometimes they’ll put 18% on your bill and you’ll end up tipping them twice. For exceptional service, it’s 20%.
laws in cayman are not really laws…they more be like guidelines…..
And the reason why it is still so third world. Law enforcement is viewed as being culturally insensitive. Ignorance is the excuse and here it makes sense. Law enforcement is the teaching tool but it is too hard on simple minds so don’t expect any changes there.
This is a clear matter for referendum.
WTH is fly tipping?
9.03pm Just some foreign expression that someone wants Caymanians to adopt.Like ‘drink driving’ instead of ‘drunk driving’.
CNS: It’s a common term in the UK. Sometimes it’s good to expand your vocabulary.
Cayman is not the UK
That’s for sure!
Like the derelict NRA equipment by the side of Crewe Road with a little bit of black spray paint to try to hide the logos.
“To facilitate efficient collections…” aahh hahahahaha
Clearly it does not matter who is in charge.
Unless it’s Charles.
There is someone in charge? You jest! That would imply exercising management and control.
Govt. Does illegal dumping too
The guys I have caught dumping a truck load of cut up bushes where from the road authority when they cut back the trees from the road. Too lazy to run to the dump. Too entitled to care about any laws or their reputations.
why?..i ain’t going to get caught and if i am in it will be a mickey mouse fine….
Too late now. Like iguanas you failed to act and now the problem has proliferated! You you prosecuted the bastards you caught in the past we would not be in this situation. Now you will ask for more funding to deal with a problem of your own creation! Just enforce our laws!
As usual, no accountability. Just waste our money and mismanage our environment…
Benefits make all all so worthwhile though.