No Fire at Retirement Disposal Site

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) Western Office is working to ensure that challenges at the Retirement solid waste disposal site are dealt with swiftly and decisively.

Director of Operations at the disposal facility, Percival Stewart, told JIS News that there was a fire at the site on Sunday, March 22, and that fire units from Montego Bay quickly put out the blaze.

“The smoke has dissipated and everything is now back to normal.  I would like to say that there has not been a major fire at this facility since 2013. What we have been having are small flare-ups, which have always been managed by the fire department,” Mr. Stewart said.

He informed that improvement works are underway at the site to enhance accessibility by fire trucks and other heavy duty vehicles and equipment, as well as the regular trucks that transport garbage to the site regularly.

Mr. Stewart said that certain measures are now being enforced, so as to maintain a higher level of monitoring of the facility.

“The first precaution that we are taking is to ensure that no unauthorized persons are allowed on the site and the Police will be helping us to ensure that this is enforced daily. We have also beefed up security here at  Retirement by establishing a 24-hour security to control the area, thereby mitigating whatever challenge that arise,” he  added.

Mr. Stewart further informed that the management has taken a decision to stock-pile marl and dirt, so that in the event of fires, these can be used to quickly control them.