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| Minister of Environment and Drainage, Dr. Denis Lowe, presents a pupil of Ellerton Primary with a copy of the Solid Waste Project Unit’s 4R’s activiity book. (A. Miller/BGIS)?? |
Barbados is on the right path in managing its solid waste.
This was emphasised by Minister of Environment and Drainage, Dr. Denis Lowe as he addressed the opening ceremony of the 4R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover) Fair held at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre last Saturday.
He said there had been over 70 per cent diversion of solid waste from the country’s landfill over the last three years, thereby increasing its lifespan and improving its overall sustainability.
Furthermore, he added that the Sanitation Service Authority, with support from the Solid Waste Management Unit had already embarked on a number of programmes to enhance its infrastructure and delivery of services.
These programmes will include a leachate treatment plant to enhance landfill safety and the construction of Cell Four at the Mangrove Pond Landfill to ensure that there is adequate landfill space.
Dr. Lowe revealed that his ministry also took the decision to have a Green Complex at the Mangrove Pond Landfill which is expected to provide a source of alternative energy, incorporating waste-to-energy, landfill gas-to-energy, solar energy and wind energy.
"It is also envisaged that the successful development of such a complex will significantly reduce the nation’s dependency on fossil fuels resulting in the reduction of our overall energy bill, thus enhancing our carbon-free footprint," Dr. Lowe explained.
He added that a successful recycling project executed in Marchfield, St. Philip to assess the feasibility of developing recycling programmes in communities will be repeated at Coverley Development, Christ Church.
The Minister said the quality of the 24 booths on exhibit, and the number of stakeholders present, showed that Barbados’ ultimate goal to have a clean, healthy and sustainable environment could be achieved.
"What we are doing here helps us to guarantee the passing on of a better society, a better environment in Barbados and a better world for the next generation. We owe it to ourselves to keep this work going," Dr. Lowe stressed.
The Ellerton Primary School launched its We Recycling jingle, while the Solid Waste Project Unit launched its new children’s activity book at the Fair.