Government Identifying Alternative to Rivertion Landfill

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Development is in the process of identifying an alternative site to Riverton City landfill where a modern facility can be established.

This forms part of the Ministry’s three-pronged approach to curtailing some of the issues at the facility located in St. Andrew.

“Riverton continues to be a major problem – fires are sometimes lit with malicious intent, and there is the issue of spontaneous combustion. We are determined to do something about this,” Portfolio Minister, Hon. Noel Arscott said while making his contribution to the 2014/15 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, June 17.

He said that in the short term, his Ministry will be meeting with the Ministry of Finance and Planning to access funds from the environmental levy to properly cover the site with soil “so that only one cell will be expose at any given time.” He said this will greatly enhance the containment a fire.

Mr. Arscott said for the medium term, a request for proposals will be issued shortly for waste recovery, and waste to energy solutions.

“We must act once and for all to protect our citizens and businesses from the repeated exposure to smoke and fumes from Riverton, Retirement, or any other disposal site,” he said.