Environment placed on back burner
Alric Lindsay writes: Although a dollar figure is not often placed on the environment, it does have a value. The Dasgupta Report describes this as natural capital for which a natural capital accounting method should be employed. This is a departure from the normal way we measure economic progress, which is produced capital (goods and services) plus human capital. The fact is that the environment must be a part of our “success equation” and our care for it is the only way to strengthen our position as a tourist destination in the long-term, following a safe reopening.
Protection of the environment is also necessary to ensure that something is left behind for future generations. Sadly, such protection is constantly under threat, in some cases by rapid development by the government without an updated Development Plan or the constant rezoning of areas without an approved, long-term plan. For example, trees and mangroves are being removed from areas where those same mangroves provided protection against floods. Now there is a concern regarding what could happen to our air as a waste management facility is coming online.
DBOO (design-build-own-operate) waste management facility
According to the Dart Group’s website, “the integrated solid waste management system facilities are intended to decrease the amount of waste going to the George Town Landfill by up to 95%”. In theory, this is good news. We could reduce what goes to the landfill and avoid another Mount Trashmore.
However, grave concerns remain as the website goes onto say that in order “to facilitate clean emissions, waste is combusted at temperatures as high as 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit to minimise the production of toxic byproducts such as dioxins”. While the operator of the integrated solid waste management facility will follow international guidelines to reduce the amount of toxic gases being released into the air, it is not an exact science and we cannot determine in 100% of the cases that a dangerous substance will not be released into the air that we breathe.
Clean Air Act needed
In order to address these concerns, I believe that a Clean Air Act must be immediately passed by the government. This must be done BEFORE the waste management facility goes online. We cannot afford to have situations where we wait until something bad happens and then we try to react or do damage control. In too many cases, this happens because of a lack of planning or public consultation or public education. In this case, if we try to act after the horse has already left the barn, the consequences could be dire, even death.
Preferable measures
Notwithstanding that a waste management facility could reduce 90% of the waste that may go to the landfill, there are other “green” ways to approach waste management (the least green being the piling up of garbage on the landfill). Such measures include avoiding unnecessary waste in the first place or identifying opportunities for reuse and recycling.
Take action now
If you feel that you do not have enough information about the proposed waste management facility, please contact your member of Parliament immediately and ask what his or her view is on this facility. Email, call or write to them. Raise the question on their political platform. The public deserves to know what decisions the government is making and how those decisions could impact them.
Alric Lindsay is a candidate for George Town South.
Category: Polls, Viewpoints & Analysis, Viewpoint & Analysis
Alric is just kissing up to the environmentalists. It seems that after the success of the CPR Movement that Alric has decided to ride on their coattails and hopefully turn it in to a seat in the house. Apart from the last 2 years we have heard nothing from this man re the environment. Just an opportunist.
I’ve grown tired of cynical comments such as these. I’ve never even met Alric, but I feel that no matter what he says, you’ll still be bitter. Anyone who opposes the status quo is ridiculed.
Agreed, we should start a new landfill in Bodden Town, or maybe George Town South. Plenty land down behind UCCI just sitting there.
Isn’t that where the Ironwood Forest is? Not a good idea.
Why Bodden Town?
Aiming to destroy another community and further degrade the environment surrounding it?
If that is Jon Jon’s plan, he should state that now before Election Day.
Jon Jon, what is your position on locating a dump in BTE?
Put the landfill just behind your Mama’s house👍
Whats your solution Alric? Four more years of negotiating and piling the shit higher and higher? Also known as doing nothing…
Well you don’t know that until you actually give him a chance…
What the hell has Barbara done in these last 4 years, besides the Smith Cove nonsense? Her existence as a politician is to give the PPM leverage just by being elected. Same with David Wight, who is just as useless.
If the people of GTS vote Alric in and he doesn’t do a good job, at least they got rid of one useless politician. But I severely doubt Alric could be any worse than the person he’s running against. Imagine a man caring more about violence against women than an actual woman.
There should be concern for our air NOW, a waste to energy built to EU standards is the least of our worries… How much air pollution do our thousands of cars produce every day because there is no viable option other than to drive everywhere? How much air pollution do CUC’s deisel generators produce? How much carbon dioxide and methane is the landfill releasing right now?
Back burner Alric ?? It’s in the Garbage these corrupt and greedy very ignorant politicians can’t understand nor correlate that it’s the very same environment that has created their lives and made them who they are and that if you destroy it you self destruct.
Clean air act you say? Best of luck getting the votes of the heavy equipment operators, taxi and bus drivers, cement companies, etc. A Waste to Energy facility is the least of your worries.