It’s time for everyone to play a role in this community to reduce garbage and dump fires.
PHILIPSBURG:--- Prime Minister William Marlin issued a call on the people of St. Maarten to start filtering (separating) their household garbage before they dispose of it so that they could assist in the recycling process that will soon start.
Marlin said that even though he travelled to the USA and visited some waste to management plants and government is currently working with one of those plants to get an agreement for them to build a waste management plant on St. Maarten. He said even if an agreement is reached now and signed off on now it will take three (3) years before the plant could be built and become fully operational.
Marlin said that one of the former garbage collectors started to filter garbage for the purpose of recycling and that the packed and wrapped garbage will be exported. He said persons in the community could get in touch with the contractor to see what arrangements could be made in order for them to start the separation at home.
The Prime Minister even gave an example of how many water bottles are thrown away on a daily basis at the Government Building all of which ends up on the dump.
He said its time for the people do something in order to reduce the amount of garbage that goes to the dump.
The Prime Minister further explained that if people are to compare the amount of fires and smoke erupted at the dump over the past years he can clearly say the least fires occurred this year. However, he did say he knows this is an election year and everyone will use any and every thing as they campaign for the upcoming elections.
