Impetus lost on plastic ban, recyling and reuse policies

| 31/03/2021 | 68 Comments
  • Cayman News Service

(CNS): The political will to promote more reduction in the waste produced in the Cayman Islands, expand recycling, reuse or repurposing of materials and a ban on single-use plastic appears to have been lost over the last four years, as government officials admitted Friday that things had gone wrong or policies had never been pursued. The government has made no progress on any of the waste-management elements in the inverted pyramid, or waste management hierarchy, that it claims has shaped the policy over the last three and a half years since it began negotiations with Dart to build the waste-to-energy plant.

“There’s not been that much in that area, to be quite honest with you,” Richard Simms, the director of the Department of Environmental Health, said in regard to the government’s claimed policy in response to questions from CNS on Friday at a press briefing announcing the contract agreement with Dart. “But in the next couple of years we should be able to focus on the reduce, reuse,” he said, adding that sometime in the future, a centre will be created at the landfill site where people will be able to drop off things that they no longer want.

However, Simms said that in the short-term the DEH would not be focused on recycling systems at all but will be depending on the public’s efforts to both separate their own rubbish and carry what can be recycled to the limited drop-off points at supermarket sites. To take on a full recycling programme, he said, would require a public education campaign. “We are going to be looking at that,” he said but added that it was not going to happen “right now”.

Environmental Health Minister Dwayne Seymour explained that one of the reasons why there has been so little progress on reuse or recycling efforts was because a pilot project for kerbside recycling was thwarted when the DEH ordered the wrong trucks, as the arms to collect recycling were on the wrong side. He said the trucks were returned to the manufacturers but never replaced because they do not make trucks with arms on the left.

The minster said that although he was “gung-ho” about a single-use plastic ban, that had not moved forward because “COVID came” and he had concerns about supplies to replace plastics during the pandemic. He said it was not clear that people would have “things to carry items in” and he was not satisfied with the information he had received. “I wasn’t comfortable and I said we would try to revive this in September 2021,” he said.

Peter Ranger, the government’s project manager on the rollout of the entire new waste-management system, said there would be more opportunities in future for reuse and recycle, and as government continues to control waste collection, it can divert materials from the processing for burning into reuse or recycle. He said the collection of waste will not be subject to “the whims of a contract” where it may not be economical to recycle but where the government might choose to recycle over profit.

But government does not appear to be enthusiastic at all about any reduction, reuse or recycling of materials. Even garden waste will only be part of a limited composting project and most is expected to be burned in the WTE facility. Ranger said that the concept of composting “got really complex” over when and how it would be paid for in the contract, and said it needed to be phased in to ensure a demand for it.

Despite these clear shortcomings on the government’s professed adherence to the National Solid Waste Management Policy based on the inverted pyramid, Ranger said since 2016, government had followed the goals of finding a long-term waste-management solution and improve recycling. After four years, Ranger indicated that Cayman was now going to move from the bottom tier of the pyramid of dumping almost all of its waste towards burning most of it, which is the second tier on the pyramid and a long way from the top.

See the full briefing on CIGTV below:


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Category: Environmental Health, Health

Comments (68)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The inverted triangle diagram will not come into effect for the following reasons:

    1) Government collects waste ( no segregation of recyclables).
    2) Waste is dropped off at Dart’s waste to energy facility which charges Government a fee to process waste (think $163 per ton).
    3) Dart’s facility burns waste to produce energy which is sold back to CUC ( more waste = more energy = more money).
    4)Recycling of plastics etc generates a cost ( sorting and shipping overseas).
    5) Much more cost effective to burn all waste regardless of whether it is recyclable or not.

    I therefore conclude that in reality ‘Dispose’ will be the largest section of the inverted triangle with’Recycle’ as the smallest section.

    Cayman’s waste strategy is seriously flawed because of desperation and the fact that government has been out witted by a strategically minded business man.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The craziest thing about small island, one of the much more wealthier islands, is that in an age of a massive marine pollution problem will cater to a man that produces plastic – and pretty much “owns” the island in every way. The irony is so screwy

  3. Anonymous says:

    Need to ban single-use plastics ASAP. The drinks aisle at the supermarket is DISGUSTING. We’re even shipping water from all over the world in plastic containers that cannot realistically be recycled.

    Why????

  4. Anonymous says:

    “To take on a full recycling programme, he said, would require a public education campaign”

    The learning to use a roundabout campaign didn’t work so well, so….

    Why don’t you have a public education campaign on using the little sticks on the side of the steering wheel?? Some call them blinkers and some call them indicators. They are used to indicate your intention about where you are going. Well, that’s what they were invented for.

    And if you people, ALL you people, would use them, it would go a long way to help traffic. You would be amazed!

    Oh, and RELEASE THE VIDEO!!

    • Anonymous says:

      There’s even signs that say indicate your turns.

      The only logical conclusion is that we have a lot of really stupid people that enjoy being in traffic.

    • Anonymous says:

      Personally I am thinking our money would be better spent on a government education campaign 🤔

  5. Anonymous says:

    Unfortunately there is not a government person that has any solid waste experience off of the island, so they only know what is happening on the island and not what is happening and what is up and coming in other parts of the world.

    • Anonymous says:

      Quote: “Unfortunately there is not a government person that has any solid waste experience”.

      How true!……. And there is much doubt about their experience about anything else! What a bunch of “Snout-in-the-Trough” do nothings!
      VOTE THEM OUT!

  6. Anonymous says:

    What’s wrong with driving the trucks on the ‘wrong’ side of the road? Everyone else does it.

  7. Think about it says:

    “The government has made no progress on any of the waste-management elements in the inverted pyramid, or waste management hierarchy, that it claims has shaped the policy over the last three and a half years since it began negotiations with Dart to build the waste-to-energy plant.”

    This article is short-sighted and inflammatory by design. The agreement is signed now to complete the new landfill facility which will include recycling processing facilities for each type of waste, recyclable or not. This agreement has taken over a decade to reach, with many failures along the way due to gov failure and inaction. Finally the landfill is a priority and the response is ‘but you’re not collecting recycling’.

    Can’t put the cart before the horse

    • Concerned says:

      Inflammatory. You have got to be joking. Who in the heck bought trucks, probably from the US without realising they were for the wrong side of the road. That is UTTER incompetence.

      Who ever project ‘mismanaged’ that should be sacked on the spot.

      And what kind of ‘minister’ worries about what people ‘will carry stuff in’. Seymour is dumber than a bloodg dumb thing. I mean his contribution to the covid briegings was a bloody prayer. REALLY? He couldn’t stop a cold with night nurse.

  8. Anonymous says:

    When the smartest of them all is still not smart enough to handle garbage collection then you get Cayman style solutions. Looking at the Government schools you can expect things to never change here. Just the fact that they are still picking up garbage is more than expected.

    • Concerned says:

      But losing the lid to every bin on the island to the nocturnal binlid monster…oh no wait…that’s when the garbage trucks come…hmmm funny that.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yep,they either throw them away or smash them up. I switched to the heavy duty Rubbermaid ones and some how they still were able to crack a piece out of one of those..

  9. Anonymous says:

    Seriously John John, you ever heard about retrofitting of these trucks..Every school bus in Cayman has been retrofitted with the door on the left..

    Is this man stupid or just clueless..

    By the way you don’t need to buy everything from the States..

    You can’t make this shit up!

    This is the people we have running our country..Lord help us to rid ourselves of them come April 14.

  10. Anonymous says:

    There never has been any impetus on recycling or even rethinking of how garbage is collected in Cayman. Carter was totally useless and Simms has just carried on with the ‘we’ve always done it that way’ mentality. No strategic thinking at all.

    • Anonymous says:

      @ 10:56 pm… What really hurts the Cayman Islands is that there is no strategic thinking in parliament either! Can we get some people who think about the future and are NOT interested in being just another snout in the trough? Vote the hogs out!

  11. Anonymous says:

    Classic civil service shambles. Another to add to the list.
    You could be forgiven for thinking that some senior decision makers are ‘enticed’ into awarding contracts like this.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Ministers must be the most moron people on earth to order a truck in USA that they drive on right side! Order from UK!

  13. Elvis says:

    Recycling is a waste of time as long as multi million dollar companies continue to churn it out abd dont care one ….

    Get over it. Nice thought but wont work. simple

    • Anonymous says:

      I recycle with junk and it’s worth it. If everyone did their part we could be in a better situation on this earth. I usually like your comments but this one is just a childish one.

    • Anonymous says:

      Moron. And the reason recycling won’t work in the Cayman Islands.

  14. Anonymous says:

    That waste hierarchy chart looks like the organizational chart at Dart.

  15. Anonymous says:

    CIG, You haven’t given a damn about the waste on every corner of this island over the past 100 years and now you expect everyone else to suddenly care? Lead by example. 1. Fine anyone caught littering on the roads. 2.implement a strict recycling policy and introduce colored bins for every household. 3. Remediate the Dump!. Then you can start blaming everyone else for waste issues.

    • Anonymous says:

      Like most things it requires enforcement which is non existent. We have Laws for everything but CIG does not have the stomach to enforce them on friends and family.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Hello, this is the DEH Minister for the Cayman Islands calling. Do you sell trucks that pick up recycling?

    Yes we do.

    Good enough.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Our household has been recycling since the supermarket drop facilities where started – many years before that our attempts were rejected at the landfill and all our cleaned and sorted recyclables were dumped with everything else.

    However, the attitude of DEH and by extension, CIG (not any specific Government but all), through Mr. Simms’ words is appalling and sad! In these times, when educated governments are continuing (some doubling down) to embrace methods to address pollution and climate change, our Government(s) say “not right now” to a simple, common sense initiative which many people want and would do, if only there were enough proper recycling facilities from home-to-dump!

    I wonder if Mr. Simms felt stupid presenting such a dismal and backwards-thinking picture?

    Yet, I don’t recall any candidate discussing their plans for recycling if they’re successful!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Well, first off……how in the hell did he ever end up as Director of DEH with no related qualifications? He was a frigging cop. Then again, the Minister he reports to is even less qualified.

      Government needs to stop shuffling people through departments that they have no background in! Have a succession plan and train people within the department to move up.

  18. Anonymous says:

    are condoms single use plastics?

  19. Say it like it is says:

    Seven years after DEH said they would get pollution monitors for the dump we still have not even ordered them. Then we order recycling trucks from the U.S. forgetting they drive on the right. This is a sad reflection on our “first class” civil service, but all too common
    As for voluntary recycling this has mostly been ignored by the local population, the only people you see regularly at the supermarket sites are those who have been brought up on strict recycling regimes. I suggest Mr Seymour visits the U.K to see how efficient it is. Every householder has at least 5 cotainers for different sorts of waste and all are picked up kerbside.This results in a reduction of non recycled waste in excess of 50%.
    If ever our waste programme is going to work it will need some real effort from our politicians and government offices, rather than excuses and delaying tactics. This is the real reason Dart were appointed as they can get things done and have proved it.

    • Anonymous says:

      After Ivan DEH recruited a well-respected Canadian to head solid waste management. He was a renowned expert in recycling but what did they do? Ignored him. In 2006 the Minister responsible for the post-Ivan scrap metal clear up was sent a proposal that would not only shift the stuff but create a permanent metal recycling site on Grand Cayman. He ignored it. If that plan had been enacted the latest fire would never have happened. This is all down to ingrained local attitudes and to even vaguely suggest that there’s ever been any impetus on this is a joke.

      • Anonymous says:

        He was absent at the press briefing. Where is he now?

        • Anonymous says:

          11:03 Who? If you mean the Canadian, as soon as his contract ended he moved on. Guess he figured this place was FUBAR and didn’t want to risk the reputational damage staying here might cause.

        • Anonymous says:

          Sean McGinn? He’s long gone. Decided CIG was a bad career move over 10 years ago.

    • Anonymous says:

      You are still renting cars with steering on the left. It’s always exciting to get one like that.

    • Anonymous says:

      Mr. Dart is well known for making plastic that is at the top of the pollution list. Have you ever wondered why his styrofoam products aren’t forbidden? Can you say, “MONEY”? Some countries have banned the use of styrofoam. The Cayman Islands is NOT one of them. Stupid (and money-hungry) leadership is the reason.

  20. Anonymous says:

    2.14 The answer to your question is probably Dwayne Seymour I think he is the Dump Minister… which really suits him..

    He need to go back to Kinder-garden school- What a stupid man

  21. Anonymous says:

    What has also been lost to some is that the island’s soon to be waste-to-energy provider is also one of the largest manufacturers of plastic and styrofoam products! Just curious what are the parent corp’s green plans regarding those products?

    Ironic or fitting? Hmm…

    • Anonymous says:

      As with many 20th century chemical company empires, they know they have a legacy environmental and medical debt that hasn’t been paid, buried in dumps worldwide, and one day the bill will come from lefty governments. That’s why there are dozens of nominee companies land banking the fortune in a variety of countries to hide it away. Cayman is only one of the obliging locales.

  22. Anonymous says:

    How do you order garbage trucks and not know that they were not fit for purpose in the Cayman Islands? Who was responsible?

    • Anonymous says:

      2:14pm – No one of course! The cost of transporting the trucks both ways + the cost of the trucks, a portion of which was non-refundable, will be written off!

      Further, no one will be accountable to ensure the refunded portion is returned to DEH/CIG/Cayman’s Public coffers!!

    • Anonymous says:

      You’d think that would be a fairly important question to ask before spending millions of dollars… I suppose during a full moon they may work.

    • Anonymous says:

      Fire their comfortable stupid tax wasters

  23. Anonymous says:

    The contractor dictating what the customer will do. Sounds like the tail wagged the dog to get this contract signed. 🙁

  24. Anonymous says:

    Stone age mentality.

    • Anonymous says:

      Me build house, me drive car, me make garbage, me don’t care. That about sums it up.

      • Anonymous says:

        4:44pm – Mmmm! While your mocking “accent” is no doubt your bigotry showing, it might represent many who live here and “contribute” to all you listed but no Caymanian I know says “me” in the first person. Just saying!

        But to you it seems that the only “contributors” to over-building, traffic problems and the dump and don’t care about anything speak in broken English. Do you live here? Hmmm?

        • Maybe slow you roll... says:

          for some of us that would be a reference to how a cave-person might speak.

          Or you could be right as I’m not in 4:44pm’s mind so can’t determine what they meant.

          But if you look for bigotry in everything you are sure to find it.

        • Anonymous says:

          You are so ready to jump on that bigotry bandwagon did you not even pay attention to what the person was responding to??? LMAO
          This island is where I learned ALL about racism. Most prejudiced people against your own darker skinned brethren…

          Anyway, the comment that they were referring to stated “Stone age mentality”. You know, like a caveman… omg I can’t believe someone needs to explain that to you. Mmmmmmm……

          Me thinks you are the one with the problem.

  25. Anonymous says:

    You can’t make up the arms being on the wrong side problem. I’m curious as to why that’s a problem?

  26. Anonymous says:

    D.E.H orders wrong trucks with retrieve arms on wrong side of vehicle , vehicles in Cayman drive on the left side of the road.
    Just like that…an important detail got missed
    Intriguing….

  27. Anonymous says:

    What words of wisdom! These politicians can not get anything done except a lot of hot air talk.
    They should just come out and say – “Whatever Mr. Dart’s team says will be the way it will go”

    • Anonymous says:

      Pretty sure Dart responded to an RFP, specifically requiring a WTE component. Where did it come from? Wait for it…the Government you elected, imagine!

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