Roy: Trucks allowed to dump
only oil and grease on landfill
PHILIPSBURG--Waste disposal operators are allowed to dump, with permission, only grease and waste cooking oil on Philipsburg Landfill. Trucks are not allowed to dump sewage, Environmental Development and Property Management Commissioner Roy Marlin said Wednesday.
Before the sewage system on A.Th. Illidge Road was able to take the loads from the septic trucks, all offloading was allowed but not anymore, Marlin said in response to a query from the press about reports that trucks were dumping sewage on the landfill.
Grease and waste cooking oil cannot be disposed of at the sewage plant as this would block and disrupt the workings of the plant, Marlin stated. When trucks arrive at the sewage plant with grease/oil, checks are made to verify the contents and then permission is given to dump at the landfill.
He urged the general public to immediately report any sewage truck seen dumping sewage illegally to government or the Prosecutor’s Office and to take photos as evidence.
Meanwhile, the pending expansion of the sewage plant will allow for the collection of grease and waste cooking oil for processing. The NAf. 12-13 million project is being finalised for funding by Public Works and Projects and Programme Bureau. Funding for the expansion is already available via Netherlands Antilles Implementing Foundation USONA.
Also the sewage collection agreement between government and utilities company GEBE is being finalised. GEBE was selected by government to construct and manage the island’s comprehensive water distribution and sewage collection system, the details of which are being ironed out. The project will start this year, Marlin said.
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