Its now 6 months into the assignment and I am back in New Zealand to take a well earned breather. We have achieved a fair bit since June as seen from this brief summary. Photos to be uploaded later.
- Regular bulldozing of waste at the town dump to keep things under control and organised onsite.
- New signage onsite explaining new opening hours, waste disposal costs, guidelines for site users. The previous signage indicated that the site was open 7 days a week when it was actually only open 5.5 days a week at most. We tightened up the opening hours so that the site would be open and manned at the specified times, thus reducing illegal dumping outside the site gate and surrounding area and reducing frustration of site users arriving at the site and it not being open.
- A total fire ban onsite (with exceptions for biosecurity and hospital waste). With a plan in place for a biosecurity quarantine waste incinerator to be installed early 2014 at an isolated part of the site.
- Cardboard recycling storage area built, with plans for a scrap metal storage area in 2014.
- An increase in waste disposal costs in October. This allowed us to begin to afford the various maintenance and upgrade works onsite and may help us with other waste management initiatives.
- The site gatekeeper has been trained up on what is acceptable behaviour for site users and has been given responsibility to use common sense when dealing with the public. He also roughly characterises the waste as it comes in and controls the takings, taking note of each load.
- A new site office has been built to replace the hovel that greeted site users when they previously arrvied onsite. An overall better impression is now made when entering the site which might encourage users to follow site guidelines on disposal of waste. If we look like we give a damn then maybe site users might follow our lead.
- A waste management account has been set up within the municipal council. 50% of income earned from the waste disposal site, business house waste collection fees, etc., will be lodged in the account and invested in waste management projects around Luganville. The remaining 50% will be used for general council expenses. The waste management account spending will be published in the newspaper on a quarterly basis to encourage transparency and discourage unapproved spending.
- A new waste management by-law was written and passed into law. This replaced the previous by-law which was badly written.
- We have started dealing with the illegal dumping problem around Luganville. We have put up signs threatening fines and we will increase litter warden patrols at dumping hotspots. There will be a major cleanup in one of the illegal dumping areas on the first weekend of December. Anyone caught dumping there after this will be dealt with.
- We are in the process of designing a new reduce, reuse, recycle, compost campaign in Luganvile. We have spent quite some time at this and the final idea is at the designers. The logo, catchphrase and graphic will form a central part of our communications campaign in 2014. Who woulda though, me and marketing and communications. Makes me shiver.
- We set up a Luganville Waste Management Facebook page to keep locals up to date on waste happenings around town.
- We kept the public up to date on changes they needed to know about through newspaper articles, radio campaigns, church announcements, flyers and posters.
*More to be added as I remember*
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Wednesday, November 13, 2013
New Signage at Luganville Waste Disposal Site.
In June, at the beginning of the assignment, it was painfully apparent that there was a lack of information surrounding site rules and guidelines. It was a free for all onsite and it was messy.
It was decided that there was a definite need for some signage at the site as well as a new site office for the gatekeeper. The one sign at the site entrance was small, hidden behind a tree and not very visible.
Once we started designing signs for the dump it became pretty apparent that we were going to need more than one sign and we would have to prioritise our messages. In the end at least six signs were designed to be placed around the site as well as in known illegal dumping grounds around town.
The main messages that we wanted to put across to dump site users were that we were increasing the cost of disposal of waste, increasing the opening hours and most importantly discouraging people from burning waste onsite.
You would think that painting some signs and erecting them would be an easy project to see through. However, this project was to take a mammoth amount of time. Our deadline of October 1st to implement the new opening hours and waste charges came and went and only the site entrance signs detailing these changes were the only ones to be erected before that time. In hindsight we were grateful for such a small victory.
The signs themselves took at least 3 and a half months to paint and erect mainly due to funding issues and lack of manpower available. Quite frustrating if you think this probably should have taken no more than a month from start to finish in normal circumstances if we had done them ourselves. And that would be learning to weld as well!
The site office was built in a piecemeal basis and is still not complete as of December, still requiring a screen door, a lick of paint and a bit of weatherproofing on the roof. We will get there, eventually, but its a great example of how slowly things are done here and likely a very good indicator of how things will pan out for the future of the project.
It was decided that there was a definite need for some signage at the site as well as a new site office for the gatekeeper. The one sign at the site entrance was small, hidden behind a tree and not very visible.
Once we started designing signs for the dump it became pretty apparent that we were going to need more than one sign and we would have to prioritise our messages. In the end at least six signs were designed to be placed around the site as well as in known illegal dumping grounds around town.
The main messages that we wanted to put across to dump site users were that we were increasing the cost of disposal of waste, increasing the opening hours and most importantly discouraging people from burning waste onsite.
You would think that painting some signs and erecting them would be an easy project to see through. However, this project was to take a mammoth amount of time. Our deadline of October 1st to implement the new opening hours and waste charges came and went and only the site entrance signs detailing these changes were the only ones to be erected before that time. In hindsight we were grateful for such a small victory.
The signs themselves took at least 3 and a half months to paint and erect mainly due to funding issues and lack of manpower available. Quite frustrating if you think this probably should have taken no more than a month from start to finish in normal circumstances if we had done them ourselves. And that would be learning to weld as well!
The site office was built in a piecemeal basis and is still not complete as of December, still requiring a screen door, a lick of paint and a bit of weatherproofing on the roof. We will get there, eventually, but its a great example of how slowly things are done here and likely a very good indicator of how things will pan out for the future of the project.
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| Cardboard Recycling Area. Will start a Scrap Metal Recycling Area in the new year. |
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| We may be winning the war against fire. Or maybe not. |
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| Site Entrance. |
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| Site Entrance, Bislama. |
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| What did I say about burning? What dont you understand about this instruction? |
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| Too much information? |
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| One of our illegal dumping signs. Recording equipment hidden from view. |
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| Ach, spot the typos. |
Thursday, October 17, 2013
We are employing.
Employment Opportunity.
Luganville Municipal Council wishes to recruit a qualified and experienced person for the following position.
Waste Management Officer – Luganville Municipal Council
PURPOSE:
To provide effective, efficient and safe waste management services to the residents of Luganville in order to protect human health and the environment from harm and provide environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits.
CRITERIA:
• Degree in Environmental/Physical Science or similar
• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in national or local government level or at a recognised private organisation
• Computer literate in email, Microsoft Office and other programmes
• Possess good verbal and written communication skills, fluent in Bislama and English/French
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Sanma Province and Luganville Municipality Waste Management Plan 2013-2016 will drive the work programme for this position. As such the Waste Management Officer will primarily be responsible for, but not limited to:
Waste Collection
• Ensuring an efficient and regular collection service is provided to both households and business houses
• Implementing the pre-paid garbage bag system
• Increasing the fleet of rubbish trucks
• Developing rubbish collection schedules
• Ensuring waste collection vehicles are fit for purpose
Recycling
• Enhancing and maintaining the existing recycling systems
• Implementing new recycling systems for other materials e.g. electrical waste, plastic and tin.
• Researching opportunities to recycle hazardous waste e.g. paint, used oil etc.
• Managing the Market House Compost Bin and
• Increasing composting awareness and holding workshops to encourage people to compost
Waste Disposal
• Oversee the improvement plan for the current waste disposal site, which will eventually be closed and made safe.
• Managing the process for selecting and constructing a new waste disposal site
Waste Education
• Increasing the public’s awareness and knowledge of waste management through relevant media including newspapers, radio, internet and churches.
• Developing targeted communications for residents, business houses, schools, churches and community groups
Ideal Candidate
• Highly motivated and able to work without supervision
• A willingness to learn and share knowledge.
• Ability to make decisions and to follow up and get things done.
• Ability to work and communicate with a wide range of people.
• Ability to work with limited resources and make the best of them.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
The Waste Management Officer will report directly to the Town Clerk
The Waste Management Officer will work closely with the Physical Planner at Sanma Province and will need to develop working relationships with the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Port Vila Municipality, Rural Health as well as support agencies such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and volunteers currently working in waste management through New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA).
For further information on the position and for a copy of the Sanma Province and Luganville Municipality Waste Management Plan 2013-2016, please contact the Municipality on Tel 5646476 or email Lmcehounit@gmail.com
Luganville Municipal Council wishes to recruit a qualified and experienced person for the following position.
Waste Management Officer – Luganville Municipal Council
PURPOSE:
To provide effective, efficient and safe waste management services to the residents of Luganville in order to protect human health and the environment from harm and provide environmental, social, economic and cultural benefits.
CRITERIA:
• Degree in Environmental/Physical Science or similar
• Minimum of 3-5 years experience in national or local government level or at a recognised private organisation
• Computer literate in email, Microsoft Office and other programmes
• Possess good verbal and written communication skills, fluent in Bislama and English/French
RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Sanma Province and Luganville Municipality Waste Management Plan 2013-2016 will drive the work programme for this position. As such the Waste Management Officer will primarily be responsible for, but not limited to:
Waste Collection
• Ensuring an efficient and regular collection service is provided to both households and business houses
• Implementing the pre-paid garbage bag system
• Increasing the fleet of rubbish trucks
• Developing rubbish collection schedules
• Ensuring waste collection vehicles are fit for purpose
Recycling
• Enhancing and maintaining the existing recycling systems
• Implementing new recycling systems for other materials e.g. electrical waste, plastic and tin.
• Researching opportunities to recycle hazardous waste e.g. paint, used oil etc.
• Managing the Market House Compost Bin and
• Increasing composting awareness and holding workshops to encourage people to compost
Waste Disposal
• Oversee the improvement plan for the current waste disposal site, which will eventually be closed and made safe.
• Managing the process for selecting and constructing a new waste disposal site
Waste Education
• Increasing the public’s awareness and knowledge of waste management through relevant media including newspapers, radio, internet and churches.
• Developing targeted communications for residents, business houses, schools, churches and community groups
Ideal Candidate
• Highly motivated and able to work without supervision
• A willingness to learn and share knowledge.
• Ability to make decisions and to follow up and get things done.
• Ability to work and communicate with a wide range of people.
• Ability to work with limited resources and make the best of them.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:
The Waste Management Officer will report directly to the Town Clerk
The Waste Management Officer will work closely with the Physical Planner at Sanma Province and will need to develop working relationships with the Department of Environmental Protection and Conservation, Port Vila Municipality, Rural Health as well as support agencies such as Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and volunteers currently working in waste management through New Zealand’s Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA).
For further information on the position and for a copy of the Sanma Province and Luganville Municipality Waste Management Plan 2013-2016, please contact the Municipality on Tel 5646476 or email Lmcehounit@gmail.com
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Some photos to whet your whistle.
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| Sunset at Ratua Island |
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| What the blazes is that?! Monstrous Vegetable! |
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| Hot day at the market. |
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| On their way to perform at the Lukaotem Gud Santo Festival. |
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| A day trip out to the islands. |
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| Watching the cargo come in. |
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| Unity Park on the day of the Lukaoutem Gud Santo Festival |
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| Tilly, the young pup. |
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| Love this sign, makes me laugh every time. A proud sign. |
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| World Food Day on 15th Oct. It would be very careless to be caught starving in Vanuatu. |
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| At the crossroad. |
Sunday, October 6, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
What do you do for a living?
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| Scavenging in flip flops; Scavengers tear open plastic bags to see what is inside, leaving the waste open to the wind. |
Saturday, September 28, 2013
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