Saba has attained a major milestone in its waste management policy by discontinuing the burning of domestic trash remains.
Wednesday, Commissioner of Infrastructure Bruce Zagers made the announcement.
Zagers stated that the practice ceased in November 2022, when the island began shipping waste to a waste-to-energy plant in Florida.
Wood and medical waste are the only materials currently being burned.
The Public Entity Saba stated that it is investigating measures to reduce the frequency of burning by acquiring an industrial wood chipper to convert the debris into mulch.
The wood chips may then be utilized as mulch.
Public Entity Saba stated, “This would leave a negligible amount of medical waste that must be incinerated because it cannot be exported.”
Saba’s trash management has accomplished a 180-degree turn from its prior state.
Previously, all rubbish was hauled to the landfill and burned without any sorting. According to the Public Entity, this resulted in uncontrolled fires, the development of mosquito breeding grounds, and a fly infestation that harmed residents and students in St. John’s and The Bottom.
A partnership between the Florida-based Cadwell INC Company and the Saba Public Entity led to the training of Waste Management workers in the proper separation of materials.
The island sent a record 50 cargo containers of recyclables to the United States for additional processing in the previous year.
Zagers stated, “The crew at the landfill and the collectors have also demonstrated their dedication to working towards these changes, and as a result of their efforts, we have achieved these outcomes.”
