Bequians say no to incinerator

Bequians are in stern objection to any plan to use their island as the site for an incinerator to be used for waste from all the Grenadine islands – “The preposterous plan” is what the Peoples’ Action Alliance of Bequia (PAAB) called it in a letter addressed to Garth Saunders, General Manager of the Central Water and Sewerage Authority (CWSA).

In the letter dated March 14, the PAAB suggested that Bequians considered it an abomination to have garbage from Canouan processed in Bequia, when in their estimation the largest amount of garbage from Canouan is produced by Raffles Resort.{{more}}

“Raffles is on 1200 acres of land, and accommodation there can cost US$1000 per night. The gross income of that resort alone probably exceeds that of all the commercial enterprises of Bequia put together,” the letter states.

Saunders however told SEARCHLIGHT that the Grenadines Waste Management plan was being implemented based on the findings and recommendations of an independent consultancy, Parsons Brinckerhoff.

He said that the plans for the incinerator were part of an integrated approach to waste management: recycling, reusing, incineration and landfilling.

Saunders explained that in the Grenadines, the development of landfills are limited by the islands’ size and the inadequacy of cover material (top soil).

According to the proposal, the equivalent of seven trucks per week of plastics will be imported into Bequia from Canouan, Mayreau and Union Island to be incinerated in a two-chamber incinerator. While disposed metals from the Grenadines would be shipped to St Vincent for export to Trinidad and other countries.

Another concern raised by the PAAB is the damage that would be done to the roads of Bequia due to the increased trucking on the roads. But Saunders, in one of his letters addressed to Pat Mitchell, an executive member of PAAB said that the damage to the roads would be only marginal.

Bequia has concrete roads.

“In any event it is the job of responsible governments and the Roads Divisions to repair and rehabilitate the heavily traversed roads more often than the others,” the letter states.

As for the concerns about harmful emissions, Saunders told SEARCHLIGHT that the consultants considered that the emissions that would be generated by the incinerator would be sufficiently in line with international standards; the effect on the drinking water was also considered.

PAAB is however unconvinced and believes that one of the main attractions to the Park site in Bequia was the availability of roads. “It is better to spend money now to create a safe area for the incinerator than have to abort a misconceived project at some later date when permanent damage has been done to the fragile environment of this small island, or to her inhabitants.”

Saunders told SEARCHLIGHT that the decision making process was not yet over and dialogue between all concerned parties is being encouraged.

“Consultants will be back shortly to again look at environmental concerns, wind direction, social acceptability and all other issues,” Saunders said.

Saunders said that the CSWA/ Solid Waste Management Unit is appreciative of the need to protect the fragile Grenadine islands so all the concerns raised are appreciated.

“We are taking all the concerns raised seriously and will continue to encourage dialogue so that we can come up with the best possible solution to solid waste management in the Grenadines,” he said.