Dear Editor,
I am terrified about the future of Guyana with regard to its garbage disposal. While we have moved ahead with efforts to ensure better garbage collection, the disposal aspect is still lacking attention. The environmental effects of garbage on our environment are many; the waste that ends up in water will affect riverine and other ecosystems, and polluted water can harm the animals who drink it and by extension ourselves. The hazardous chemicals from the garbage that gets into the soil can harm plants, and can jeopardize our health when we eat them.
I would like to advise the city and central government to consider investing in a biogas digester which would turn our garbage into energy. If not, a foreign investor or the private sector can be brought in to form a partnership. While biogas is used all over the world ‒ India for example has more than 4.5 million digesters – harnessing biogas energy in South Africa in contrast, is practically unknown. Only a small number of digesters have been built successfully and commissioned to date, representing a loss to the renewable industry sector in the country since biogas fulfils all the criteria relating to environmental sustainability, requires a relatively low technological input and is cost effective to implement.
I also strongly suggest a clamp down on all persons, including businesses, that light fires to burn grass, household material, vegetable waste, shrubs and trees. This usually creates huge clouds of black smoke that poisons the atmosphere and affects those Guyanese citizens who suffer from lung problems, including asthma. There was a time where fires were lit at Le Repentir Cemetery dumpsite and many people started to suffer from breathing difficulties. The laws of our country need to be enforced and the lawlessness must end.
The Botanical Gardens can recycle its waste products of leaves and grass, converting them into compost which could even be packaged and marketed. Then they could educate persons on how they can use compost in their own yards. Our youths can become involved in this avenue as a business venture. Youth groups like Youth Challenge and the Come Alive Network (CANI) can turn this into an activity for young people who have an interest in the environment. This will not only help to eliminate our garbage in a safe manner, but it will add to the economic viability of our youth and entrepreneurs. Waste products gathered at our market places such as vegetables, fruits and provisions can be gathered for compost, whether for personal use or marketing.
The disposal of lead and hazardous waste is an international problem. In the case of Guyana, the batteries from our motor vehicles, torchlights, radios, clocks, cell phones (containing uranium), etc, when dumped as regular garbage can be transferred into the water system and poison it. Again, as part of the government’s ‘Go Green’ campaign, citizens should be made aware of how to dispose of garbage which contains lead and other hazardous elements. The Ministry of Public Health in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Infrastructure, City Hall and the Office of the Opposition Leader could do much good by supplying information on the improper disposal of garbage which has negative effects on us and the environment.
Yours faithfully,
Roshan Khan
