Editorial - Our garbage and trash dilemma
The Abaconian 2 April 2002

Garbage, trash, worn out appliances and junk cars are problems for people the world over. There are so many items in our affluent society that we cast aside. Everyone eventually has to cope with varying amounts of this debris. For our many restaurants and bars, the waste consists of meat and vegetable scraps from clients and the kitchen along with buckets of cooking oil and grease which must be disposed of. Individuals have the same disposal needs but on a smaller scale.

In the industrial and business world it is batteries, oils, tires, car parts, engines and entire machines to be trucked away.

Government provides residential collection and disposal service for normal household garbage and trash. Nassau makes occasional residential pick-ups of appliances and furniture and perhaps this should be considered here.

The various towns have designated areas where the material is usually burned, then periodically pushed off to make room for more. The burning reduces the volume and the heat alters the metal properties to hasten corrosion. The trash quickly rusts, rots or mildews on its own. The Marsh Harbour area generates enough trash to require a full-time dump attendant and regular bulldozer work. Government provides this service in an effort to keep the towns clean and healthy. Regular collection reduces the temptation to throw the trash across the street or in the bushes.

Garages, restaurants and commercial establishments must cart their own debris away or make arrangements to have it hauled off.

Appliances, cars and construction debris are usually deposited separately in the dump area and left to disintegrate (or accumulate) over time. The Marsh Harbour dump is only four or five miles away from the farthest resident. However, it is astounding to find refrigerators, cars and bagged garbage on nearly every deserted side road in the area. The South Side Road is not far from the area dump but it is becoming a secondary dump site. The car graveyard on the S.C. Bootle Highway continues to expand with the most recent additions dumped and abandoned right on the edge of the road. Little effort is made to curtail the practice.

Some of the clandestine dump sites around Marsh Harbour can be traced to specific businesses due to the brands of appliances found. Some of the abandoned cars along the highway still have business decals and vehicle registrations in the windshields.

A side road in the forest south of Black Wood continually attracts junked cars and garbage. Local Government has erected a sign stating "No Dumping. This particular side road leads to a beautiful blue hole close to the coast. A few feet away in the coppice behind the blue hole are the remains of an old sisal mill. Anyone can park his car beside the garbage and enjoy the beauty of the area. It is a real study in opposites, the blue hole on the right and junk cars and rusting refrigerators on the left. Trash is dumped into another blue hole close to a town several miles north.

Garbage dumps are necessary but they waste land and devalue the surrounding area. No residence or business wants to be next door to a dump. Smoke, flies and a trail of trash usually give away their location. Our off-shore cays confront their trash problems in different ways. The collection is generally the same although on a smaller scale than the towns on the mainland.

Green Turtle Cay has land-fill trenches that seem to work but there are suspicions that the nearby reef is suffering from chemical leakage and pollution.

Guana Cay has a dump on private land which the owners want to reclaim. Government land on Guana is scarce complicating a solution. Hope Town has an interior swamp used for garbage. Only when the wind is favorable is the smell and smoke tolerable.

Man-O-War took an unusual approach several years ago. They bought a chipper for mulching yard and brush debris. This reduced their total trash volume by half or more. The mulch is sold to home gardeners and used along roads and public areas to suppress weeds. The remaining trash is transported to Marsh Harbour where it is trucked, still in containers, to the dump. This is not a cheap solution but premium real estate on their island brings a greater return in taxes and jobs when used for residential and business purposes.

Our various local government bodies do not talk to each other so no attempt is made for an overall plan. Central government is holding ambitious plans for modern land fill garbage sites on the major islands including Abaco. These project have not been mentioned for quite a while and budget constraints from the September 11 fallout, the straw market fire and Hurricane Michelle last year are probably to blame. This would be a good project for the Chamber of Commerce or an environmental group to tackle. The membership of these groups spans political boundaries and would seek a broad solution.

There is no "one-size fits all answer.

However, consider the following:

• Our seashore and reefs should not be subjected or affected by garbage, trash or leaching chemicals.
• Oils, batteries and chemicals should not be disposed of near our well fields. This includes agricultural chemicals.
• One or more areas should be designated for the collection of appliances, cars and machinery.
• Owners should be required to dispose of vehicles, appliances and larger discarded items in areas set aside for these things.
• Effort should be made to stop the disposal of cars on the edge of the highway or along remote roads. Local or central government must see that they go to an approved site.
• Garbage removal of some sort should be provided for the Haitian communities. They generate the same trash as the rest of us and like many, they look for an easy way to get rid of it.
• There is no reason for bird watchers and nature lovers to be subjected to view and smell our garbage as they wander through our pristine areas.

Money is always a problem. Man-O-War,s solution is not cheap but the town is clean and there are few complaints. Government likes the taxes these up-scale properties generate and it is not unreasonable that a portion of this money is used for trash removal. Dump sites pay no taxes. The main island of Abaco has the advantage of many potential dump sites on land not suitable for residential or business use.

Answers must be found that are cost effective and workable. Authorities and residents must work together to stop indiscriminate dumping alongside highways and down side roads. The dumps are bad enough but at least they keep the mess all in one place.

Garbage is a universal problem. Many of our towns would benefit from long range planning and answers. The collection and removal process is also expensive. A broad approach would probably save money overall and preserve premium real estate for better uses.

The Bahamas is stressing the eco-tourism advantage that our islands offer and is promoting our natural beauty. There won,t be much to sell the way we are headed.

Junk cars and rusting appliances don,t command a very high price.