MARIGOT–The Grandes Cayes eco-landfill site treated 55,889 tons of waste/debris solely related to Irma from September 7, 2017, to June 30, 2018, representing almost the amount of waste received at the eco-site in two years under normal conditions, the Collectivité has disclosed.
The Collectivité’s priority after Irma was to clear and clean the public domain, a massive task complicated by the fact that the eco-site road to the landfill was only partially usable.
Eleven temporary storage sites were then designated in the districts and on public spaces to give time to re-open the ecosite.
The latter became operational again one week after the hurricane, but initially only for household waste, collected regularly despite a reduction in the number of collection vehicles because of damage by Irma.
Emergency clearing and cleaning of public spaces began on September 11, 2017, and ended on October 6. Figures provided by fourth vice-president of the Collectivité Steven Patrick in charge of the Sustainable Development Department are impressive.
Some 155 trucks were used for 4,500 trips to the eco-site. Close to 20,000 tons of waste, or more than 109,000 cubic metres, including 1,990 tons and 19,900 cubic metres of sheet metal, were collected on the temporary sites, with the help of various stakeholders.
These included some 30 local companies for clearing, the Adapted Military Regiment RSMA, the civil engineering department – which notably built the new high road to the eco-site in collaboration with the French army, and six trucks and their drivers made available to St. Martin by Guadeloupe, not forgetting the associations and volunteers who contributed spontaneously in this great clean-up effort.
More than 1,000 employees participated in this operation, 155 trucks for nearly 4,500 trips to the ecosite were mobilised, as well as 19 heavy-duty excavators, 19 backhoes, 22 mini-excavators, one bulldozer, two loaders, three telescopic handlers and 27 skips.
The cost of emergency clearance was 8.22 million euros and the total cost of the excavation, transport to the landfill and treatment of the waste linked to Irma – still in progress – is estimated at 15 million euros. As of June 30, 2018, the eco-site received 55,888 tons of waste: bulky green waste, sheet metal, construction rubble, and car wrecks, all directly linked to Irma.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/79065-figures-showed-55-889-tons-of-waste-treated-from-irma-alone
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