REGULATIONS ON WASTE DISPOSAL WILL REDUCE POLLUTION IN KINGSTON HARBOUR - PM GOLDING

 October 28, 2009

REGULATIONS ON WASTE DISPOSAL WILL REDUCE

POLLUTION IN KINGSTON HARBOUR - PM GOLDING

Prime Minister Bruce Golding said that an integrated action to handle pollution of Kingston Harbour caused by sewage, effluent and solid waste is being done.

He was responding to a question in Parliament yesterday (Oct 27)  by Member from Central Kingston, Deacon Ronald Thwaites, on what the Government was doing to prevent further pollution of Kingston Harbour.

Clip 1

The Prime Minister said, "This integrated action plan will involve the promulgation of new regulations, and the institution of the strengthening of the regulatory agencies. Efforts are being accelerated to channel the sewage generated in the Kingston Metropolitan Area into the Soapberry centralized Wastewater treatment plants, one of which was completed in January 2008. This facility, which currently has a capacity of 18 million gallons per day, can accommodate approximately 600,000 residential and commercial customers. This will allow for the inclusion of Independence city, Bridgeport, Caymanas and Hamilton Gardens sections of Portmore in addition to the corporate Area. 

The two largest sewage plants in the Corporate Area which are responsible for treating inadequately treated effluent that goes into the Kingston Harbour, mainly the Western waste water treatment plant and the Greenwich Wastewater treatment plant have already been connected to Soapberry....Approximately 30% of the corporate area have already been connected."

The Prime Minister went on to explain that the upcoming changes would require operators of sewage treatment plants to be licensed and penalties for breaches would be stronger.

Clip 2

"New wastewater and flood regulations will be promulgated by March of 2010. These will provide for revised sewage and effluent standards consistent with international law. New licensing requirements for owners and operators of sewage plant....in the future they will be required to not only have a permit for building but a license for operating."

Mr. Golding also noted that by December, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) will be making moves to formalize the private sector agencies that operate within the solid waste sector to establish standards and procedures and the management of solid waste disposal sites.