By Daryl George
If you take a walk through the mangrove wetlands in many areas around Antigua and Barbuda, you will almost certainly notice the waste in and around our most important coastal areas. This includes not only small items like the ever present drink cans, plastic bottles and bottle caps, but also bigger items – including fans, televisions, construction waste, large branches etc. These larger items, known as “bulk waste” are items too large for the regular garbage pickups. This bulk waste enters the mangroves and other ecosystems for a variety of reasons – sometimes due to individuals not knowing or wanting to dispose their garbage correctly, or sometimes even dump trucks collecting waste and alleging to safely dump this waste in the approved landfill but taking it to other areas to be disposed because it is easier or cheaper.
Whatever the reason, what is indisputable is the effect that bulk waste can have on our delicate ecosystems right here in Antigua and Barbuda. Some of these bulk waste items such as appliances contain harmful chemicals, such as mercury or refrigerants, that can be leached into the soil and coastal water. This can have a direct effect on wildlife that ingests these chemicals. There is also the effect on human health when we consume the fishery products that live in these areas. Of course, these bulk waste items are also a general eyesore on the attractiveness of the community.
Thankfully, we don’t have to sit back and allow this waste to poison our environment and communities. By removing waste items, including bulk waste, we can create a safer and healthier environment and community for all. Here are a few ways that we can achieve that:
- Ensuring that our individual bulk waste is safely disposed – This can be either with individuals ensuring that they safely dispose of their bulk waste at the approved landfill, or demanding proof from anyone disposing of your waste that it has been safely disposed of.
- Educating others – We should all participate in spreading the word of how important it is to properly and safely dispose of waste. This can be via sharing information about how waste negatively impacts the environment by word of mouth, or by avenues such as social media pages that provide critical information about the environment such as the Environmental Awareness Group (EAG).
- Join/Support Cleanups – We can also help to reduce bulk waste by participating in cleanups – whether taking part in an individual cleanup by yourself or with a larger group or organisation.
- Report illegal dumping – If illegal dumping of bulk waste is observed, it can be reported to the Litter Prevention and Control Hotline at 727-2467, who will take action by investigating the dumping, and taking action to include fines and orders to cleanup waste dumped.
- Support environmentally related community based projects and organisations – By supporting community based projects and organisations that engage in efforts to clean and beautify their community, you too can also help to remove bulk waste from our communities.
