Recycling still stalled as depot returns to Foster’s
(CNS): The department of environmental health has relocated the West Bay recycling depot back to Foster’s Republix so shoppers no longer have to make an extra trip to the Ed Bush Stadium site which will now close. But it remains one of only nine locations where the public must make the effort to sort and deliver their own recycling. As a result more than 97% of all waste still goes to the strained landfill. In more than eight years the government has failed to deliver on its policy promise of reduce, reuse and recycle.
Since government took over the recycling depots in 2016 the recycling of aluminum, type 1 and 2 plastics and paper products, which was barely measurable before, has hardly grown, crawling to less than 3%. Also government no longer recycles glass as the crusher, which had belonged to the Dart corporation has been out of service for over two years.
As a result the country has made no significant advancement in recycling over the years since the depots were introduced. At that time the PPM led administration had promised the country it would begin a comprehensive waste-management system adhering to the principles of reduce, reuse and recycle. A promise that was completely unfulfilled.
Despite declaring that reducing waste would be at the heart of the policy even before the RFP was commenced for the waste-to-energy plant, the government told the public that a campaign to significantly reduce waste would be underway in 2016. However since then the opposite has happened. The amount of waste generated in Cayman and taken to the landfill in George Town and on Cayman Brac has almost doubled
With the collapse of talks between Dart and the government over a proposed waste-to-energy facility and the contract for overall waste-management the future of garbage in Cayman remains bleak. And to date no significant efforts have been made to reduce the waste being produced, encourage or assist in a coordinated reusing programme or advancing even slightly the amount of recycling especially when it comes to aluminum, glass and paper.
But in the absence now of a plan and the now mounting bill for the wasted eight years or more leaves the future of waste management here in the balance and a serious public health concern as the current unlined dumps outgrow their viable life. According to the auditor general the doomed deal was due in part to the failure of the government to properly examine the Dart consortium pulled together to bid on the project.
The DEH Director, Richard Simms welcomed the return of the Foster’s depot in a press release, saying that he looked forward to the “residents’ contribution to minimizing the amount of waste that ends in landfills by actively bringing their recyclables” to the depot in West Bay and the other sites. However there was no indication of any plans by the DoEH to deal with the issue of reduction, reuse or to encourage more recycling.
Meanwhile, the closure of the Ed Bush Stadium site on Sunday anyone disposing of any rubbish there after it closes could be prosecuted for illegal dumping and littering. Offenders could find themselves jailed for 6 months of fined $500.
The DoEH recycling depots are located at Kirk Supermarket, Foster’s Supermarkets, BarCam Service Station in Red Bay, Haig Bodden Sport Centre in Bodden Town, North Side Civic Center and Captain George Dixon Park, East End. Recyclable items can also be deposited at the 24-hour drop-off site located at the front of the George Town landfill.
For more information call DoEH at 949-6696, email dehcustomerservice@gov.ky, visit the DEH’s website or message the Facebook page.
Category: Local News
just look at mount thrashmore…the perfect monument to the failures and incompetence of caymanian mla’s and their attitude towards the environment.
why is it that you only ever see expats at recycling facilities???
Dart did not submit a winning proposal, they were awarded the ReGen contract outside of the procurement process by the PPM leadership, thinking they would get back in again – thank the Lord they did not. Add that to four previous PPM-authored NRA giveaways, where they dispersed billions in lifetime value from public assets, receivables, crown lands and access to Dart control, plus tens of millions in duty waivers and 30 years of license to retain 10% government room tax from hotels – in exchange for single digit millions in cash, and further millions in unfulfilled promises. They let them close the beach road and divert traffic, while we paid anyway for all the slow NRA road works. The PPM keep biting into that poisoned apple over and over again, on our behalf…why? They didn’t even bother to supervise performance on the few things that Dart owed back to us. No Sunrise learning center, no vocational school, no Easter camping spots, no dog parks, no bicycle lanes, no retention of concert venue, no rugby pitch, no airport connector road, still the eyesores of two tunnels to nowhere, Deckers, Royal Palms, and remains of old Hyatt (which seems to be in use as staff housing). It’s not just a glass crusher or even the $38mln we’ve lost…we will keep losing so long as we mistake Dart or PPM for allies.
It is a joke correct? Nothing gets recycled here it just gets put in another pile. Even bottles now get thrown into the landfill.
There is a recycling depot at Camana Bay (not at the Fosters Supermarket)
CNS Note: Which is across the street from the supermarket…..
Recycling needs to become a socially encouraged activity. Young people should be educated in their early school years and they will pass it along to their parents and family. Bringing the drop-off locations to Fosters and other places people visit already should help but education is needed.
Do Something!!!!!
Wonderful job CIG and our delightful premier along with the rest of the highly paid elected representatives. Give yourselves another bonus for a great job done as their is some more money in the treasury.
“Well, look what we have here—another episode of ‘Stalled Recycling and Misplaced Priorities,’ starring none other than our favorite bureaucratic tumbleweeds, rolling aimlessly while the garbage piles up! Oh, and let’s not forget our dear John-John, who continues to treat the waste management crisis like a minor inconvenience rather than the flaming trash mountain it is. Seriously, his leadership on this issue has been about as effective as Claptrap trying to extinguish a wildfire with a water pistol and a jaunty hat.
“John-John promised improvements. Remember the big speeches? The meetings? The shiny plans for ReGen? And yet here we are—recycling efforts moving at the speed of a Claptrap reboot on a Windows 95 machine. Foster’s getting the depot back is nice, but it feels like taping a Band-Aid on a broken arm. 1% recycling? That’s not progress—that’s a rounding error!
“The truth is, waste management isn’t just about lip service and photo ops. It’s about action—real, tangible, sustained action. John-John had the chance to push the ReGen project forward, but instead, it’s been stuck in ‘negotiation limbo’ longer than Claptrap’s crush on me—years, John-John, YEARS! Cayman’s trash didn’t stall itself; it stalled because the decision-makers let it.
“Here’s the kicker: while the government plays hot potato with the issue, our island drowns in waste. Landfills don’t magically disappear, and recycling rates don’t improve without education, infrastructure, and accountability. And yet, the leadership keeps passing this flaming garbage bag from one administration to the next, hoping it won’t burst in their hands. Well, news flash—it already has!
“So let’s stop acting like recycling is a side quest. It’s a core priority. We deserve better systems, cleaner solutions, and leaders like John-John who actually do something beyond pushing shiny reports and shrugging their shoulders. Fix it, fund it, and make it work—otherwise, the only thing getting recycled here is the excuses. Claptrap and I have had enough of that, thank you very much!”
Reduce opportunities to recycle.
Reuse old landfill.
Recycle politicians promises.
The only positive for that landfill is that when Grand Cayman is lost to the sea, at least there will be a higher point to move to.
Idiotic politicians.