Health authorities silent on Riverton landfill fire

Debbie-Ann Wright, News Editor - Radio



KINGSTON, Jamaica:

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) says it is alarmed by the silence of the Minister of Health, Dr Fenton Ferguson, in relation to the fire at the Riverton City landfill.



Describing the situation as a public health emergency, JET said it is unconscionable that the health minister, the Chief Medical Officer and the Central Board of Health have remained silent.



JET says it is also concerned that there is no daily information being issued on air quality testing.



It says the public does not know if testing is being done or the results of such tests if they are being carried out.



According to JET, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has allowed the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) to continue to operate Riverton and other dumps in unsatisfactory conditions for decades.



It says while it knows NEPA has issued an enforcement notice with regard to the latest fire, the smoke continues to compromise the air for thousands of people.



NEPA had insisted in its enforcement notice that the NSWMA extinguish the fire by last Friday and cease the discharge of smoke at the Riverton landfill.



NEPA had also demanded that the NSWMA submit, within 14 days of the notice, a detailed report of the incident.



It is not clear whether the report has been submitted, however, smoke has still been rising from the dump.



This morning officials at NEPA were meeting to determine what action to take against the NSWMA for failure to comply with its order.



Up to news time, there had been no word out of that meeting.



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