The Solid Waste Management Project funded by the Government of Belize, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and being executed by the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority (BSWaMA), Ministry of Natural Resources & Agriculture, continues to deliver on its outputs.
The San Pedro transfer station was inaugurated on July 3, 2015 and since then solid waste is being barged to the mainland for final disposal at the regional sanitary landfill located off Mile 24 on the George Price Highway. The regional sanitary landfill is built to international standards and has been recognized as one of the best constructed and operated landfill in the Latin America and Caribbean Region.
When the sanitation workers on the island go and pick up garbage from residents, they deposit it at the transfer station. From there, it is transferred to the mainland by barges, and then that garbage is transferred to the mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill.
Belize Solid Waste Management Authority II from Video Maker on Vimeo.
Phase I of the regional sanitary landfill, consisting of 5 acres, was inaugurated in July of 2013 and has been operational since. From August 2013 to May 2015, Phase 1 has received for environmentally safe disposal a total of 50,000 metric tons of solid waste transferred from the Belize City and San Ignacio/Santa Elena-Benque Viejo transfer stations. On a daily basis an average 54 tons is received from the Belize City transfer station and 20 tons from the San Ignacio/Santa Elena-Benque Viejo transfer station.
Phase 2 of the regional sanitary landfill, consisting of another 5 acres was completed in June 2015. While the landfill site itself is 370 acres, a total of 10 acres is now ready to receive solid waste and depending on recycling rates, will have a capacity to receive waste for another 8 -10 years. In addition to other ancillary facilities, the regional landfill is equipped with an electronic weighbridge and computerized ticketing system to accurately determine the weight of solid waste received at the facility. These weights are the basis on which payment is made to the operator of the landfill.
The project is now winding down and ultimately, the regional landfill will receive waste for proper disposal from the Western corridor, namely: San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Belize City, San Ignacio/Santa Elena – Benque Viejo, Burrell Boom – Hattieville and Belmopan transfer stations.
Mile 24 Regional Sanitary Landfill in Belize
