Marpi landfill to be completed in 2000 • Businesses will be charged for dumping garbage, according to Task Force on Solid Waste

The CNMI government yesterday moved closer in closing the Puerto Rico Dump site with the appointment of Hawaii-based consulting firm Harding Lawson Associates to carry out the design of a new landfill in Marpi and develop an island-wide solid waste management plan.

Among the various tasks given to the company include conducting an analysis of the waste currently being taken to Puerto Rico dumpsite, implementing a year-long education campaign, drawing up a conceptual design of waste energy and recycling facilities and also designing the transfer stations that will eventually replace Puerto Rico.

George T.S. How, vice president of HLA, has pledged to fast-track the project but the federal regulations which required the submission of technical plans and permits have been taking so much of their time.

Since meeting federal regulations and design process will take about six months plus nine to 10 months of actual construction work, the new landfill in Marpi will be open by October 2000.

According to Tim Villagomez, executive director of the Task Force on Solid Waste, various agencies involved want to make sure that the operation in the Marpi landfill would be environmentally sound.

Villagomez announced that the Office of Insular Affairs has already approved the purchase of various equipment for the use in Puerto Rico Dump, the new landfill and the implementation of a recycling program.

“The program continues to work on the ultimate closure of the Puerto Rico dump,” assured Villagomez. Recently, the task force has completed the installation of ground water monitoring wells on site as part of its assessment work on the area.

The administration is also looking at other projects in the Puerto Rico Dump such as establishing a park in the future to complement the adjacent American Memorial Park, instead of just waiting for the new site to open.

Dump and pay To help the administration maintain a solid waste management facility and encourage companies to recycle, businesses will be asked to pay fees based on the amount of waste that they dump.

The task force believes that setting an equitable fee for companies would make them think twice before directly throwing away things and decide instead to recycle them. Residents will not be charged for their disposal of garbage.

In 1993, there were only 15 garment factories. Now, there are 33 garment firms on the island.

A year ago, some companies have offered to help the CNMI government dispose of the huge volume of scrap clothing materials dumped by selling them to other countries, according to Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio.

Unfortunately, the companies found out that such plan is not cost-effective, thus, they went back to the government asking for subsidy in the shipment of materials. “But we cannot do that. I really wish somebody can come in and take them,” said Tenorio.

The Solid Waste Division is drafting an island-wide solid waste facility plan based on the recommendations obtained in a plan completed in 1994. “We have to know the composition of solid waste so that we can come up with a plan on what to recycle or maybe do some composting of the green waste,” said How. Another option is converting waste to energy that it is cost beneficial to the government.

” Design and construction of transfer stations is also within the plan so that you don’t have 200 trucks a day driving to Marpi,” said John Harder, solid waste manager. The smaller transfer stations will be made so that residents do not have to travel far to dump their garbage.

This early, the task force cannot determine yet how much would be the overall cost of the project although the federal government and the Legislature have already set aside $16 million for the design and construction of the landfill.

“We still feel that we can do it within the budget amount,” he said.

Harder assured that steps are simultaneously being made to develop closure plans for the Puerto Rico Dump.

In the meantime, Harder said they have been working well to improve the condition at Puerto Rico, increased the cover and stabilized the slope.