environmental health
Dart dump contract on shaky ground
(CNS): The remediation of the George Town landfill is scheduled to begin next week, which may still happen if the massive fire at the dump that started this weekend is brought under control, according to the premier. This is the first phase of the total project, which includes a waste-to-energy (WTE) plant, that was awarded […]
Fire service to help DEH improve dump
(CNS): Following one of the worst ever fires at the George Town landfill last month, which the minister with responsibility has still not commented on, the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) will now be assisted by the Cayman Islands Fire Service to improve daily operations at the site and cut the risk of fire, officials […]
Activists press on with battle against plastic
(CNS): As the world celebrated Wetlands Day on Sunday, activists in the Cayman Islands were cleaning up beaches on the Sister Islands and in West Bay, as well as preparing for more action on the myriad environmental threats, including the removal of mangroves and plastic pollution. Students from the Protect Our Future campaign and other […]
Students furious over dump failings
(CNS): Students from the Cayman International School are furious after the latest and certainly one of the most serious dump fires on Friday, and say they have many questions for government about its failure to address the growing landfill and wider waste-management problem. The private school, built by the Dart Group, is extremely close to […]
Garbage pick-up falls behind over holidays
(CNS): The Department of Environmental Health will be starting 2020 much as it has continued throughout this year, playing catch-up on garbage collection. Officials said on New Year’s Eve that the pick-ups, mostly in the Bodden Town area, which should have happened last Thursday and Friday would be dealt with today, Tuesday 31 December, and […]
7 Caribbean countries to ban plastic in 2020
(CNS): Seven Caribbean countries will introduce some form of single-use plastic and polystyrene ban in the New Year, but the Cayman Islands is not one of them. Although government here has been hinting that it is thinking about imposing some form of restriction, plastic use is currently entirely unrestricted, even though the Caribbean region is […]
600 tons of rubbish collected in holiday clean-up
(CNS): Residents threw out more than 600 tons of bulk waste from their homes and yards across the Cayman Islands over the period of the Department of Environmental Health’s annual holiday collection. The free bulk waste collection service ends this Friday, as teams from the DEH clear up in West Bay. Officials said that once […]
CIG cancels meeting on plastic policy
(CNS): Activists pressing government to introduce a single-use plastic ban in the Cayman Islands have expressed how disappointed they are that the ministry has cancelled yet another meeting of the steering committee formed to address the issue. The committee was created this summer to help develop a policy towards reducing the environmental harm caused by […]
DEH 10 years behind, says director
(CNS): The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) director told Finance Committee that garbage management is some ten years behind in terms of staff and equipment. Richard Simms said resources had not increased for more than a decade, despite the growing population and the amount of garbage being generated. As the committee turned its attention to […]
Minister dodges health cover issue
(CNS): The health minister said very little about the pressing issue of health insurance costs when he spoke for almost two hours on Monday during the debate on the Unity government’s $2 billion budget. Despite having some of the most intractable problems of any minister, including garbage collection failures and the increasing struggle many face […]
Mystery ‘attack’ in Cuba likely mozzie spray
(CNS): Canadian researchers might have identified the cause of a mystery illness suffered by diplomatic staff in Cuba three years ago as mosquito repellent gas. After several overseas staff from various countries reported mysterious symptoms, officials from the US, in particular, accused the Cuban government of an “acoustic attack” with a secret sonic weapon.
