Pollution and Waste Management
Waste management in Grenada is handled by the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority, governed by the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority Act. The Act established the structure and powers of the GSWMA, with its overall goals of “developing the solid waste management facilities and improving the coverage and effectiveness of solid waste storage, collection and disposal facilities of Grenada.”
Since 1995, the GSWMA has been tasked with maintaining healthy communities and environments using a plethora of sanitation and waste disposal methods. The Authority manages the Perseverance landfill in Grenada and Dumfries landfill in Carriacou. They have also been promoting sensitization on the real dangers of improper waste management, using educational advertisements done in partnership with media outlets, interviews, and informative posters in public areas. In addition to the website linked above, the organization has a Facebook page.
GSWMA works in close conjunction with the Ministries of Climate Resilience, the Environment and Renewable Energy and Health and Social Security.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES AND SERVICES OF GSWMA
Organic Waste Disposal
Green waste is considered valuable organic material and can best be disposed of by returning it to the soil as mulch or in compost. The GSWMA has been managing thousands of tons of green waste at its two landfill facilities. To accomplish this, they invested in an industrial woodchipper to break down organic tree waste. The chipped tree waste (mulch) is sold to farmers to be used for chicken pens in poultry farms and compost to provide crops with nutrients.
Homeowners are encouraged to compost with step-by-steps details included on their website. Other local initiatives, such as Green Feeds LTD, are working with GSWMA to reduce organic waste at the landfills.
Of the 44,508 tonnes of waste handled by the GSWMA in 2018 (an average of 121.9 tonnes per day!), the composition was as follows:
Data from GSWMA 2019 National Experience on Waste Statistics.
Regular Household Waste Collection
The GSWMA is mandated to provide regular garbage collection service to the state of Grenada in conformity to solid waste management principles. They are currently in contract with nine (9) private companies to provide the service of waste collection; the contracts have a duration of five (5) years.
Waste is collected at least twice per week in every zone. A daily collection service performed in all towns in exception of Grenville and St. George where this service is provided twice per day.
Special Collection Service
Through their waste collection contractors, GSWMA offers a special collection service for old furniture and household appliances (white goods) like fridges, washers, and stoves. Each householder is entitled to the service once per month and can dispose of three large items per collection service. For more details on how to arrange a special pickup for white goods, see here or the FAQs linked above.
Metal Baling and Bulb Crushing
The GSWMA purchases a metal baler in 2005, post-Hurricane Ivan, to deal with the accumulation of metal waste. This has been very helpful in the present day to reduce the volume of scrap metal marked for disposal, keeping scrap numbers in check and preventing it from accumulating in general waste. Metal bales emerging from the baling process are shipped off island for recycling purposes. Additionally, the Government recently invoked a policy to further alleviate sources of metal waste from the environment by removing derelict and non-roadworthy vehicles from roadsides; these efforts are in collaboration with the Royal Grenada Police Force and GWSMA.
A bulb crusher, also commonly known as a “bulb eater” is also in use at the Household Hazardous waste treatment plant at Perseverance landfill. This machine caters for the safe disposal of straight fluorescent lamps, u-tubes and fluorescent bulbs. This type of waste management reduces the quantity of mercury and other toxic chemicals released into the soil and ocean. The mercury that is safely removed and collected in this process is stored in a special storage container in preparation for shipment and recycling off island.
Other
In 2018, Grenada passed the Non-Biodegradable Waste Control Act, which banned the importation, sale, and use of single-use plastics and Styrofoam (polystyrene). Since then, there has been a nationwide transition to biodegradable containers and paper straws in food service and reusable grocery bags in supermarkets, although prepackaged drinks are still sold in single-use plastic bottles.
In June 2023, GSWMA rolled out 120 colored coded bins for public sorting: Green for organic or biodegradable waste, Blue for recyclable, and Yellow for general non-recyclable waste. This was setup to divert 80% of waste from landfill by 2035.
Challenges in local waste management
Landfill spillage is a major concern due to the proximity to coastal areas, posing major problems for the marine ecosystems along our coasts. Moreover, the burning of waste (which often ignites spontaneously) leads to major air pollution in the form of toxic and potentially carcinogenic fumes for humans and animals, as well as contributing significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.
Increased natural disasters due to climate change continue to add stress to the system and the protocols set up by GSWMA. These global challenges are compounding the local issues faced by the organization, including the current landfill at Perseverance nearing its capacity. Expansion and relocation have been discussed but are constrained by Grenada’s limited dumping zones naturally imposed by the island’s small size and mountainous terrain.
Additionally, illegal dumping is an all-too-common practice around Grenada, with dry forests and wetlands being common targets for trucks dumping construction debris and other household waste. GSWMA has an illegal dumping report form, so if you see something, say something.
According to the Waste Management Act, the penalties for illegal dumping range from $20,000 to $50,000 fine and 3—6 months imprisonment, with the higher punishment being applied for dumping into protected areas, rivers, beaches, or the sea.