I love the news - Part II

Getting the word out on waste.

Information for newspapers and radio for the latest Luganville waste management news.

Luganville Waste Management Public Information Updates                              

Luganville Municipal Council waste management team have been working on ways to improve waste management services in the town. These improvements are needed so that activities such as waste collection by the Municipal truck are more dependable and regular and the Waste Disposal Site operates in a way that is better than how it currently operates.

The current Municipal waste management activities are seen as important steps in the draft Sanma Province and Luganville Municipality Waste Management Plan 2013-2016. These schemes are among many projects that will take place over the next three years to help control waste in the province and in the town.

 

Update No. 1 – Cost of disposal of waste                                                              

The Municipality want to improve the operation of the Waste Disposal Site, so the cost of disposal of your waste there will increase from 1^st October 2013. Our new fees are;

Flatbed Truck – VT1,800
Pickup Truck – VT1,200
Small Load – VT600

The new gate fees will fund regular maintenance and upgrading of the Waste Disposal Site, faster repairs of the waste trucks and investigation of a new landfill site. When you pay your dump fees you help us keep Luganville clean and tidy through better waste collection services, and help the Municipality provide a better waste management service to the residents of Luganville.

You can reduce your waste disposal fees by reducing your waste taken to the waste disposal site. Compost your garden waste instead and use it for growing vegetables.

Update No. 2 - Opening hours

During the recent Consultation on the Waste Management Plan, public feedback said that the Waste Disposal Site needed longer opening hours. Because of this, the Waste Disposal Site will now have the following opening hours as of 1^st October 2013;

Monday to Saturday 7:30am to 4pm
Closed on Sunday.

The Municipality hopes that the extended opening hours will reduce the frequency of illegal dumping outside the gate of the waste disposal site. The Municipality will now be investigating any illegal dumping outside the gate. If those responsible for illegally dumping their rubbish are identified they may be served with a VT20,000 fine.

Update No. 3 - Burning of waste.

The Municipality has strongly advised all staff at the Waste Disposal Site to stop burning their waste there. The burning of waste is bad for the health of local residents, people visiting the site and the staff working at the site. Toxic smoke from the burning of waste can cause illnesses such as lung disease, diabetes and cancer. Stopping the burning of waste is one of the many ways the Municipality is improving the way the Waste Disposal Site is being managed. The Municipality asks the public for their help by not starting fires at the Waste Disposal Site also

Breathing in toxic smoke from burning waste can cause health problems.

Update No. 4 – Cardboard Recycling

The Businesses Houses in Luganville now receive a weekly kerbside cardboard collection service for the purpose of recycling the cardboard and reducing waste volume.  The Municipality have asked the Business Houses to put flattened and tied cardboard out for collection every Friday.  No rubbish is collected on this day by the waste collection truck. ‘This is the first kerbside recycling scheme of its kind in Vanuatu and we want to make it work,’ said Prosper Buletare, the physical planner with Sanma Province. The Municipality have a dedicated recycling storage area at the Waste Disposal Site where the cardboard will be stored before it is collected for recycling. 

The public can also bring their cardboard to the Waste Disposal Site and place it flattened in the recycling storage area.

 

Cardboard Recycling Storage Area.

 Update No. 5 – Other Waste Service Information

With the introduction of new gate fees at the Waste Disposal Site the Municipality intends to be more involved in the day to day management of the site. The gatekeeper will now direct you where to off load your rubbish, so that we use the space inside the pit effectively and efficiently.

The Municipality will also hire a bulldozer once a month to maintain the Waste Disposal Site and ensure it is kept tidy, accessible and safe.



Regular bulldozing of waste should keep the site organised.

When the waste collection truck is full of rubbish it will now use a tarpaulin or net to cover the truck. The Municipality asks that people cover their waste on the way to site also. This will reduce the amount of rubbish that ends up on the sides of our roads and makes Luganville look untidy and adds to our litter problem.

Andrew Ala, Environmental Health Officer at Luganville Municipality said ‘The Municipality hope that these new waste disposal activities will create a better managed, more efficient and effective Waste Disposal Site that we can all be proud of.  We ask for your support with this and that you follow these new guidelines so that together we can keep Luganville clean.’

Keep up to date on our waste activities with the Luganville Waste Management Facebook page.

Please don't like the facebook page if you are not living in Vanuautu, thanks.