Landfill set Ablaze-Smog in the City
Beetham Landfill set on Fire
Do
these images reflect good habits from our citizens? What impact could burning
landfills have on our environment? The pictures show the Beetham Landfill
situated on the outskirts of Port of Spain.
This is the largest landfill site in Trinidad and Tobago and research
stated that about 875,000 kg of waste each day from Chagaramas to Curepe and
some areas in the vicinity of Chaguanas fill this pit (SWMCOL). The Beetham
Landfill collects solid waste, bottles and controls a fecal waste system. The
landfill poses a serious threat to the ecosystem and the environment since it is
located near to the city of Port of Spain and surrounds a wetland area. This
dump has reached its maximum holding capacity and the Solid Waste Management
Company had officially recommended its closure.
Waste at Beetham Landfill
(This picture was taken from this
angle because persons are not allow to enter the Beetham Landfill)
Recently,
the Trinidad Newsday newspapers dated January, 30th 2014, had an
article describing the irresponsible behavior of citizens who ignited the
Beetham Landfill. In the report thick clouds of black smoke hovered over the
city with high levels of toxicity in the atmosphere. These unsafe levels of
poisonous toxins are extremely dangerous for us as well as our ecological
system. The smog hampered the regular routine of workers, children and visitors
to the capital resulting in a city shut down and closure of the landfill. Smoke
from the burning of landfills and garbage is a common source of air pollution. The
burning releases harmful gases like carbon monoxide which causes health
problems in people for example cardiac-respiratory problem and skin diseases. In
the environment burning of landfills result in problems associated with air
pollution like global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion and climate change.
In
landfills there is unregulated dumping of biodegradable and non-degradable
materials like plastics, styrofoam containers, and cans into large pits. Over the
years, the accumulation of unlined landfills with municipal waste can remain
buried and intact. The seeping of rain water through the waste can leach toxic
chemicals into ground water. Landfill waste (organic and inorganic waste) that
leach into the groundwater will eventually contaminate our environment causing
pollution problems (USGS 2003).
Electronic
appliances that contain heavy metals like lead and mercury also leach poisonous
toxins into underground water causing water pollution. At Beetham Landfill, the
site is next to the Caroni wetland area. Domestic waste, industrial effluents
and radioactive waste accumulated at these pits are potential environmental
hazards. The harmful leach-ate from discriminant dumping of municipal waste
can contaminate nearby water courses.
Everyone
should do their bit to reduce air pollution. Proper steps should be taken to
prevent all forms of pollution. Citizens should be educated on the importance
of proper disposal of solid waste, recycling and dangers of malicious burning
to landfills and garbage. Human beings are not the only species affected by
pollution. Come on fellowmen let us all take care of our environment!
In
Human Geography, “urban problems includes numerous combinations of
environmental problems (derelict land, inadequate housing stock, pollution and
contaminated land) social and cultural problems (crime, antisocial behavior,
poor schools and public facilities) and economic problems (long term
unemployment)” ( Hall and Barrett 2012). As you travel along the Beetham
Highway these urban problem are very evident to the average passerby. This slum
community is located near the Beetham land fill and the residents are often seen
digging through the trash and hijacking garbage trucks to scavenge waste
material. This sort of behavior is associated with urban social problems of
poor slum dwellers who live in a polluted environment and lack employment. As
such, these people resort to criminal and destructive activities like setting
the landfill on fire hoping to receive some form of recognition. Furthermore,
the government has a critical role to play in curbing the threats posed by landfills
near the city since proper urban planning and sustainable policies should have
been in place when locating the Beetham landfill. According to Blowers and Pain
1999, 321, “policies relating to sustainable development are built around
incorporating ecological and environmental criteria for example legislation
controlling toxic emissions”. These measures can reduce dangerous emissions
that are released by landfills when set on fire.
There is the need for proper urban planning
that strict a balance between social inequalities and environmental problems. Planning
should incorporate modern and technical aspects such as proper mapping,
recording and designing (Hall and Barrett 2012). These aspects would aid in proper
decision making for selecting the most appropriate site to locate a land fill
while taking into consideration the proximity to the city and its dwellers.
Apart from urban planning, urban policies also plays a critical role in dealing
with city problems. The community as well as public participants (bottom to
top) should be integrated in policy making. The residents of Beetham probably
feel marginalized and lighting the land fill on fires perhaps was a form of
revenge or expressing their frustration of being caught in cycle of social
inequality and poverty stricken lifestyles.
Therefore,
if proper urban environmental planning and policy making were conducted the
Beetham landfill would not have been located near the mangrove or wetland due
to the dangerous impacts on the environment and the mangrove ecosystem. To address the social inequalities experienced by the Beetham
community the Government can establish programs, facilities, and infrastructural
development and employment opportunities. Cochrance 2007 stated “urban policy is not
fixed but highly fluid, linked to what is perceived as an urban problem and to
change ideas as to how these problems should best be tackled”.
- Trinidad Express News Paper articles provides detail information on the fires at the the Beetham Landfill:
- The
academic journal presents a review on the management and operation of landfill
development and current practices in Lagos Nigeria. The study revealed that
landfill site were uncontrolled and there is the spread of insects and rodents
as a result of in excessive waste, filthy odors and environmental degradation.
There is the need for proper environmental planning, design and management of
the landfill within the urban area of Lagos Nigeria.
- http://academicjournals.org/article/article1381849468_Olorunfemi.pdf
- The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change working group 3 investigated the link between waste generation and urban population growth which leads to the increased of a major greenhouse gas CH4 from landfills. The IPCC estimated that by the year 2030 70% of CH4 emission would be from landfills worldwide. The IPCC suggested that there is the need for infrastructural waste management to mitigate the release of CH4 gases into the atmosphere. Technology can be implemented to curb such problems that would improve public health, contamination of underground aquifer, and soil.
References
Blower, A. and Pain, R. (1999).
“The Unstainable City”, in Hall and Barrett. Urban Geography 4th edition. London and New York:
Routledge
CSO. (2007). “Solid Waste Report”. Accessed March
27, 2014. http://plastikeep.com/docs/CSO%202007%20Solid%20Waste%20Report.pdf
Christenson, Scott C. and Isabelle M. Cozzarelli.
(2003). United State Geographical Survey Fact Sheet. “The Norman landfill
environmental research site what happen to the waste in landfill?” Accessed
March 27, 2014. http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/fs-040-03/
Cochrane, A. (2007).
“Understanding Urban Policy: A critical approached”. Oxford Blackwell, in Hall,
Tim. and Heather Barrett. (2012). Urban
Geography 4th edition. London and New York: Routledge
Hall, Tim. and Heather Barrett.
(2012). Urban Geography 4th edition.
London and New York: Routledge
Trinidad and Tobago News Day. “Port- of – Smog”.
Accessed March 27, 2014. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,189928.html
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