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Fire at Haags Bosch Landfill Site…Contractors did not adhere to requirements
– Temporary holding area to be operational soon – Communities Ministry
The Ministry of Communities is blaming Solid Waste Contractors, BK International Inc and Puran Brothers Disposal Services, for the uncontained blaze at the Haags Bosch landfill site, Eccles East Bank Demerara.
The spontaneous combustion last Sunday afternoon led to several sections of the site being shutdown and residents of the neighbouring communities dealing with the adverse effects of the heavy grey smoke that is currently polluting the atmosphere as a result of the smoldering refuse.
Garbage trucks were almost immediately re-directed to the Lusignan dumpsite, East Coast Demerara.
While temporary relief has been granted in the situation, officials of the Ministry are laying the blame for the blaze, which has rendered the site inoperable, squarely on the shoulders of the firms contracted to manage the solid waste firm.
The Ministry, in a press statement yesterday noted that preliminary investigations revealed that the contractors did not adhere to the Operations Management Requirements as stipulated under Section 15.6 of the signed agreement regarding fire prevention and firefighting.
Thick smoke emanates from the blaze at the Haags Bosch landfill site at Eccles, East Bank Demerara.
The contract for the construction and management of the landfill site was awarded to BK International and Puran Brothers Disposal Services in 2010.
According to the information, the unhealthy situation does not surprise the Ministry, since there is “evidence of poor management techniques and inadequate security measures”, among others employed by the contractors.
Kaieteur News understands that the aforementioned factors together with the unventilated landfill; the failure to provide daily earth cover have contributed to the significant buildup of methane gas which when ignited continues to burn in an uncontrollable manner. This has resulted in the fire.
The release noted that during the initial stages of the fire the contractor was assisted by the Guyana Fire Service, which requested the contractors to provide, in accordance with the conditions of the contract, additional resources needed to enhance their capacity to control the blaze.
These included the following: three high capacity pumps (6 inches diameter) to enhance the flooding of the site in several locations where the fire exists; two heavy-duty crane, drag-line or long boom excavators to excavate the waste pile in an effort to reach the bottom where the fire may be located and water hoses (6 inches diameter and 450-ft in length).
The statement outlined that “despite numerous engagements with the assigned contractor the supply of the items was delayed. This hampered the Guyana Fire Service’s capacity to arrest the fire”.
The Ministry of Communities has noted that the site, which has been operating as a dumpsite from day one, is closed and can only be reopened when the situation is addressed.
The Ministry is partnering with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure in an effort to bring urgent relief to affected communities. The Communities Ministry says it is monitoring the situation closely since it is aware that residents of the neighbouring communities are being adversely affected.
Meanwhile, a temporary holding area located at Haags Bosch has been identified to accommodate waste generated within the Municipality of Georgetown and its immediate environs. This is expected to be operationalised shortly.
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