Another fire erupts at Pockwood Pond landfill site
A fire of unknown origin erupted at the Pockwood Pond landfill site sometime last evening.
One resident raised an alarm about the fire on Facebook, asking whether it was an issue they needed to be concerned about.
Most responses to the post, however, dismissed the fire as a regular occurrence in the area and said the main challenge was the toxic smoke that emanated from the flames.
“Apart from the toxic smoke, it’s pretty normal because we have no decent waste management plan to sort our garbage so it gets dumped on the hill and then instead of putting it in the incinerator, it’s quicker for a whoops spontaneous combustion to burn it down,” one resident shared.
But Health Minister, Carvin Malone, who holds responsibility for waste management in the territory, had previously expressed that fires at the location were being deliberately set.
At the time, the minister shared video evidence of what appeared to be someone starting a fire a the landfill site.
“The BVI Waste Management Strategy will incorporate what are our steps ahead for legislation and for an immediate, medium, and long-term fix to the issue of the spontaneous combustions at the waste [facility] down at Pockwood Pond and Virgin Gorda and Anegada,” the minister told BVI News last year.
“We have to get it fixed and we have to reduce the amount of waste going into the stream. So it’s a comprehensive look that we are now embarking on,” he had further told our news centre.
Authorities have been dumping Tortola’s waste on, and along the hillside since an unrelated fire that rendered the Pockwood Pond incinerator non-functional back November 2018.
The incinerator has since been repaired but there have been a number of fires where the piles of trash were being dumped, causing irritation to nearby residents.
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Stop with the BS,,, same old story everytime.
We have to get it fixed… Donkeys years this has been going on long before VIP got in office. NOBODY CARES as long as their money keeps rolling in!
The thing is they have tried and spent over $1 million. Maybe the solution they tried isn’t the best but they have to permanently fix this problem soon. One thing we know is the problem won’t fix itself so they must spend what they need to spend to find and implement a remedy.
they might have spent over 1 million, what did they get for it and how come the million didn’t fix anything. The Beacon had an article about the company they are sending money too, very interesting.
What are three cancers caused by dioxin released out of burning waste?
-Respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, trachea, larynx)
– Prostate cancer.
– Multiple myeloma.
– Bladder cancer.
Long before and the VIP has been in power over 40 years!! So come again!
Reading is Fundamental!
You stop with you bs vip was forever in power what crappie you talking.apart from the 8yrs via was there so shut your beak
Its not even about the money . Its the hypocrisy of pledging to be a green v.i with the world when solar power efforts by conscious people here have been rejected since it was proven very efficient (especially in a sun soaked country) and recycling garbage is still decades away. I love to tell visitors when they see what looks to be an active volcano in pockwood pond — oh yeah thats our top of the line recycling center. Best technology no one even knows about. We burn up waste and it turns into pure oxygen !!
We are going no where fast with the garbage problems…Every month is the same thing over and over again…What we need is a forward thinking government
Waste ah time! from the minister down
just throw in some weed and we will ALL get high for the X-mas , AMEN ???WE
for years this hazard going on in territory and no one protesting.
We only protest things that bother or annoy Cindy.
Doesn’t matter if you vote NDP or VIP, nothing will change, EVER!!!!
The whole system needs to change, you need a well thought out revolution.
Nothing else will do.
well said so what should be done: a new political party or a combination or vip/ndp
Replacing one set of moo moos with another set of short sighted incompetent (but perhaps good hearted) fools is not gonna fix much …
People should go to Jail over this. Its a crime.
Wait a few years and there will be a class action from the people of the West against the government claiming millions in damages from having to breathe in these poisonous fumes.
The Health minister doesn’t give two hoots, neither does the complaints commissioner. They’re all one little clan scratching each others backs.
Tell Calvin Malone to vaccinate pockwood pond waste dump maybe the fire might stop coming because that job he know what to do he forget the rest of his job as health minister.Sad
One more glaring reason why the UK should come take control, because, they will solve this by bringing in new staff and management. This would not be tolerated anywhere else in the civilized world, just more evidence that the territory is incapable of governing itself.
Absolutely stupid comment. Maybe you people need to read UK news just as much as BVI News to see that UK is very far from perfect or problem free. Every single BVI problem in our history happened in full view of a UK Governor.
Really, perhaps you failed to understand the concept of “self determination” which clearly has been a disaster. As for a UK Governor being here whilst everything falls apart, well, that’s an integral part of self determination, perhaps it’s called “give them enough rope to hang themselves” and then initiate a COI.
Apparently happens in Florida all the time.
The air was awful last night and my chest still feels tight. It was still smoking heavily this morning.
Guess they needed more room. The scrubbers are on there way ? Right ?
How come people have access to the site at night????????? Should be locked and survey
Attorneys are not willing to take cases against local elected Government. This situation and the lack of dependable clean water are issues detrimental to the health of the people and are violations of basic human rights.
The WHO of the United Nations,in my opinion,should be made aware of this decades ongoing situation.
Where are the rabblerousers and complainers when they can be useful?
Someone with some guts, create a petition. Let’s see if people want their voices heard.
Here’s an idea. Why don’t we have an inquiry in to corruption in the territory, issue proceedings and obtain proceeds of crime from those who have stolen from the public purse – namely, the elected government- then use those monies to administer and fund a proper waste management and recycling?
My humble suggestion here is they should pay one out give them all a piece of land with a home and make the entire are and make it industrial, inhabit for all home owners. lung cancer breast cancer stomach cancer you name them who the HELL CARES the Minister for the subject don’t give a rats a** about the people he’s ordering a part since 2019 it can’t reach here yet you tell me that interest to the resident of Pock Wood Pond and souring areas NO… NO… NO…
Another issue look at the unseeingly sight of all those old vehicles rodents and snakes who cares. I am one glad to see they cleaning up the country but how long are these vehicles will be there watching us how long how long…..sick and tired of the same old same old story Hon Health Minister
Be VIGILANT about COVID, but nobody gives a f**k about open burning causing grave illness to the population. Brilliant!
VG dump been burning for days, no one complaining over here so zip it!
Think Claude may be a good, high priced consultant for this issue. Seriously. Don’t know anyone else who can talk garbage to everybody for weeks,months,years on end.
You should, if not means you don’t care or you’re a idiot
So cool to live in a country that still burns its garbage!
Where is no vision, the people willl perish….there is no waste management policy in this Territory, and if actions are anything to fo by, there is no desire to have one, which its simply appalling. That said, most want wastes to be properly managed, yet most are probably not willing to pay a monthly garbage fee.
There is a plan/project that can be clearly explained and all questions answered concerning the end result of that project that will create over 100 jobs a plan that will create another end result that is environmentally friendly…a plan that requires your support. The bvi is our own to take care of there is a local company that has the only solution that can realistically work, all aligned by international standards..alkebulanmindsrecycling@gmail. Mr. Gavin Baird,Managing Director…
Our good ole Premier lives downwind from this dump site. If he doesn’t care about his own health, then really what else will he be concerned about buddy? Unconcerned and incapable? Pockwood Pond is symbolic of this country in general.