The Georgetown Mayor and City Council is operating an unauthorized dumpsite at its Princes Street compound.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), no permission was granted for such an operation within the city and the nearby residents are being affected.
An old wheel chair, tyres, furniture, and even builders waste are among the items dumped at the Princes Street location.
The compound is where ‘Old Smokey’ the incinerator once operated.
This unauthorized dumpsite is now a cause of concern for those living in the area as it poses serious health risks.
When News Room visited the area, residents said that City Hall did not notify them about any plans whether permanent or temporary to have a dumpsite so close to their homes.
“With this dumping of this garbage in the incinerator we ended up sending it to the council, we even send to EPA about it, we even sent to the councillor for the area they said they will look into it.
“Nobody is not doing anything now; we have children, we have babies around the area and my son is asthmatic. When these flies start, you can’t open your door or your windows,” a resident said.
One resident recommend how the Council could solve the issue.
“They could build a furnace and a recycling plant and get a short term place for getting rid of some of the garbage in the city and that would solve some of the problems, but they not looking long term they looking at a quick stop.”
The only waste disposal site is the Haggs Bosch Sanitary landfill located in Eccles on the East Bank of Demerara.
For years City Hall has found itself not being able to properly collect and dispose of solid waste from the city which has since resulted in may illegals dump sites being created.
The old Le Repentir landfill was discontinued when the Haggs Bosch site became operational in 2010.
To make matters worse, the News Room also found that just a few steps south beyond the Princes Street location, is another major health hazard in the form of a large open hole partially filled with water and solid waste.
This hole is located at the site of a previously legally decommissioned dumpsite currently being rehabilitated.
This all is taking place just a stone’s throw away from a community play field.
