Repairing damaged incinerator is ‘like pulling teeth’
Repairs to the damaged Pockwood Pond incinerator have been described as “like pulling teeth” by Health Minister Vincent Wheatley, who recently acknowledged long-standing challenges in addressing waste management in the BVI.
Despite these struggles, he assured residents that progress was being made. “We are seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” Wheatley said in the House of Assembly.
“We’re trying our utmost best to get the incinerator up and working.” The incinerator, which has been out of operation since a catastrophic fire in 2021, is undergoing extensive repairs, with the final parts expected to arrive soon. Wheatley hoped the facility would resume operations “sooner rather than later.”
He thanked the Department of Waste Management, led by Marcus Solomon, and the contractors for their efforts in mitigating the situation’s impact.
“There hasn’t been a single fire at Pockwood Pond for 2024. I must thank Mr Solomon and his team and all the contractors who are abiding by the rules to ensure that the people in the West are really relieved,” he said.
Wheatley emphasised the importance of continuing to work toward a functional waste management system, saying, “We are supposed to incinerate, and that’s what we’re going to do.” However, he noted that repairs to the current facility are only a temporary solution and that a long-term strategy, including the acquisition of a new incinerator, is in the works. Further details reveal that the existing incinerator, even when repaired, will struggle to meet the territory’s waste management demands, which currently exceed 160 tonnes of waste per day.
The government has initiated plans to replace the facility with a more efficient system and to explore waste-to-energy solutions that could contribute to the national grid. Wheatley’s remarks come as the government addresses waste management challenges across the BVI. Measures include budget allocations for landfill sites and initiatives advocating recycling and environmental sustainability.
Residents are encouraged to support these efforts by participating in recycling programmes and adopting responsible waste disposal practices.
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Independence them say
In 2025 still open burning
You are dedicated and work hard you respond to issues and are sincere about you love and care of this territory but please get yourself a communications manager .In this new world people dont understand and cannot decipher nunance and many of these haters will take you words and twist them . We saw that in the VG clinic debacle. The VG people have your back but these other haters will willfully misconstrue your every statement.And same for the publication they are not asking for interviews in your best interest. They have an agenda,You have accomplished many thing but you are not a braggart, But new times call for new strategy.
The whole gang should be sent to live in the incinerator yard for three weeks at least. For their wilful neglect.
IF THAT IS THE CASE , THEN WE DENTISTS HERE , SO THAT SHOULD NOT BE A PROBLEM , , THE ONE BEFORE YOU MADE PROMISES THAT HE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT PROBLEM , BUT HE NEVER MENTION ANYTHING ABOUT TEETH , HE SAID ” SCRUBBER ” SO MAYBE HE HAD MEANT ( TOOTHBRUSH & AND DENTAL FLOSS / CSC GOT IT RIGHT – WE GOT FRIGGED , ONCE AGAIN
Like pulling teeth? Since none of you incompetent people can’t figure it out then hire an outside professional agency that have knowledge as to how to correct and fix the problem.
Where’s the money? I know a quick google search will show several ocassions when cheques were written to overseas companies for parts and consultation and nothing was ever delivered.
A new fit for purpose incinerator should have been commissioned over 10 years ago. Our people are just f**king incompetent and always have an excuse!
At least if you have a bad teeth, the dentist will correct the problem . I am so sick of the incompetence with you slow non thinking scatter brains people. Damn Sir, you are slow and incompetent for real. Like pulling teeth? YOWWWWWWW!
the latest waste management plan was to dump the tons of daily waste on ugly land fills; e.g. Havers shoreline on Tortola, then reward the new land ‘owners’ by leasing their ugly land fill.
Me thinks he’s just predicting the next time the staff manage to burn it down again .
Like some beach and or beaches of past admins, the money keep going swimming.?
So let me understand. We going to continue spending money fixing something that is now old and maybe obsolete or will we invest in a new one and fix the garbage woes? That sponsorship money dem give to Steve coulda help buy a new one.
IF THE GUN MEN DON’TAKE YOU OUT HERE ON THE ISLAND, THAT DAMN OPEN BURNING DUMP THAT IS SENDING POISON TOXINS IN THE AIR 24/7 365 SURE WILL.
The incinerator being fixed and gonna be soon back online for how many years now!!… sturpss
Nah man!! This been so so long that the teeth done rot out of the head! Aint no need to pull dem teeth!!
If you are ever in need for an example of the ineptitude with the way things are run here, this is the perfect example. This issue spans both political parties over several party terms. I remember the parts being on order 15 years ago.
Talk talk talk!! Do us a favor …. stop talking.
Can someone explain to me why is it when someone kick you a..es in the mountain oysters and puss for the stupid incompetence you are automatically call a hater or hating.
you come with NOOO SOLUTIONS and 2nd you always fail to regognize any progress.So yes you drinking MFing HATERAIDE
I thought the new $10,000 a month Director was brought in to fix this problem.
Birdman voice…..”We in business, $100,000,000 dollars.”
Teeth ain’t hard to pull if you know what you are doing though
Alkebulan minds recycling inc. was disregarded by these same politicians and oppressed but one day the bvi will see the rise of that corporation once more. Recycling is a mission not a conversation
Mr. Wheatley, please take a detour to Virgin Gorda’s dump site. You’ve been on island your whole life, so you ought to be able to see if it has “improved”. Show us the benefit
BVIs waste management practices are nothing short of primeval. You would think that a place that has ti import everything would have thought about these things long ago, but no, this issue (along with sewage) has vert little political importance or interest, if actions the government has taken over the last several decades is anything to go by.
Waste to energy (WTE) project sounds like a good idea, but this requires waste segregation, and for a viable project 160 gross tons (before segregation) is probably not enough. WTE incinerators are also complicated to run. We have a hard time it seems running regular generators. They also have pollution control devices, more complicated than the one we have not been able to get to run properly for more than two decades.
The claim for budget allocation for landfill sites suggests more landfills in the works. Same old same old. Why aren’t we instead working on minimizing waste? Like I said medieval.
Burning garbage to create energy is an excellent idea, BUT….we don’t generate enough waste. WTE plants need a minimum of about 500 tons of waste after non combustible materials, (metals, glass et) has been segregated out. See https://wtert.org/resources/frequently-asked-questions/. Our 160 daily tons prob boils down to about 80 tons of suitable materials. These things also come with pollution control devices that we have not been able to master in 20 + year on our own incinerator. Seems highly impractical to consider WTEs here.
Rather invest the tens of millions on developing and implementing a proper waste management plan. Segregate wastes so we can ship off cardboard, plastics, metals, waste oil etc. for disposal overseas, grind garden up debris for compost, etc. Work with shipping companies to take back pallets to the mainland for re-use.