A NUMBER of store owners and vendors in Georgetown’s central business district are not in possession of garbage receptacles as the laws governing the City Council require, and have been using ‘social rejects’ to dispose of their refuse.

This results in a piling up of garbage on several city streets, a number of health hazards, and a real eye sore to anyone, citizen or foreigner, who appreciates clean and beautiful surroundings.

Head of the Solid Waste Department attached to the Mayor and City Council (M&CC), Mr. Walter Narine, told the Guyana Chronicle on Saturday that the commercial areas are cleared of garbage twice per day. “They’re cleared once in the morning, and then again at 6pm,” he assured.

However, the piling up of garbage has again become a problem because some store owners who do not have waste receptacles on their business premises are paying the ‘junkies’ next to nothing to dispose of their garbage.

Narine said he has had cause to place a dumpster on Water Street Saturday morning to deter vendors from having their garbage dumped on the streets.

“I placed a bin on Water Street, in the vicinity of Bounty Supermarket, because of the dumping of garbage in Water Street. I spoke to all of the vendors around the area before placing the bin there, and they were all very happy and agreed that it will help a lot,” Narine disclosed.

This morning, Narine said, the plan is to place a similar bin in front of Hacks Halal Restaurant on Commerce Street.

Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer Yonette Smith had explained to this publication some of the implications that wanton dumping has on the City.
Apart from the unsightliness that the practice creates, Smith spoke about leachate, which is a toxic liquid that emanates from the garbage and can consequently contaminate the groundwater supply of residents and businesses.

“When the garbage trucks pick up your garbage, you would notice there’s a liquid that comes out of it that we call leachate. It’s a toxic substance that is left in the ground when persons dump garbage and it can contaminate our water supply,” she expressed.
Furthermore, the site becomes an ideal environment for insects and rodents. “We ask persons not to dump their garbage like this, because apart from polluting the ground water, there are insects and rodents that can end up in your home and they also can get persons sick.”

Public Relations Officer Debra Lewis had said during the same interview with Smith that after a time, rodents tend to migrate from the garbage piles and begin invading the homes and businesses of residents.

“Rats spread leptospirosis and they urinate on your stuff. You also have reptiles…which can crawl out at nights looking for food and can harm persons passing by,” Lewis further pointed out.

The current fine is $10,000 for someone caught littering, but only a handful is being charged because Lewis had said that the Constabulary Department is short of staff. “Why more persons are not being charged goes back to manpower.”
Hence, Lewis said the City Council should be looking to reinstitute the anti-littering campaign which it conducted some time ago.