Environmental Group Comments on Waste to Energy Plans in Cayman Islands

5 December 2010 A member of Cayman Islands' not for profit environmental advocacy group - Waste Initiatives & Sustainable Environments (WISE) - has praised the government's recent Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Waste Initiatives & Sustainable Environments comprehensive solid waste management and Waste to Energy (WtE) facility. WISE said in a statement that the RFP marks a significant milestone on the path to resolving the long outstanding issue of solid waste management in Grand Cayman and specifically at the current George Town landfill, also known locally as Mount Trashmore. Theresa Broderick, a member of the community group's coordinating committee said that the group is particularly pleased that in issuing its RFP, the Government included WISE's suggested approach, that of broadening the request to receive proposals on a Comprehensive Solid Waste Disposal Management, and not restricting Cayman to a WtE facility alone nor to the current landfill site. In assessing the RFP, WISE said that it has, by virtue of donors and volunteers, consulted with local qualified experts, and has also referenced local and international studies to assemble and disseminate information in order to educate its members and influence public policy. The group said that this assessment has highlighted a few critical aspects and concerns regarding the RFP. Environmental and aesthetic concerns of the George Town Landfill According to WISE, while reducing the height of the dump to alleviate its visual eye-sore may be the greatest priority for some, effectively stopping the leaching into the North South and avoiding air, odour and noise pollutants should be amongst the higher-order criteria applied by the government decision-makers. As far as the aesthetics of the dump are concerned, aggressively remediating and capping the landfill - in other words, remedying the environmental hazards then covering with impermeable layers and green landscaping - remains the most expedient way and cost-effective way of reversing the ills of the dump. Remediation of the George Town Landfill This government's previously expressed intention to ensure that the dump's environmental hazards are adequately addressed is admirable and deserving of public support. At first glance, it would appear that the RFP does not require proposers to remediate the existing site. However, in a publicly issued Addendum to the RFP, the government has expressly stated that the successful proposer must include provisions to remediate the existing dump. As for methods of remediation, the RFP states that mining is an option to be considered by the proposer for the creation of space for operations or to provide supplementary fuel to WtE. WISE holds the view that landfill mining is an undesirable last-resort method of remediation because of the public health and environmental risks as well as the financial cost and lengthy process of landfill mining. Absence of information vital to responsible decision making WISE believes that there is an absence of practical and reliable information such as data on waste streams and contents of the landfill, and that this significantly compromises the adequacy of the RFP document in many aspects - particularly in respect to addressing the issues involved with the existing dump. Any proposed solution, whether it includes WtE or not, should have the benefit of being able to review a Site Characterization Study. Such a study has yet to be carried-out for the George Town landfill and such a study is the only way to fully determine the specific remediation measures required in addressing environmental and public health concerns. Current Site Limitations Although the RFP does not rule out an alternative site, it does state that the existing landfill is the preferred site. However, the technical criteria indicate that the size of the current dump site significantly prohibits operation of a comprehensive solid waste disposal facility. WISE believes that in support of the government, the public must be open to developing a new site or a combination of sites whereby modern, properly engineered and holistic waste management processes are operated in sorting, recovering and recycling materials from future waste. If such an alternative site or sites are structured properly - perhaps with the collaboration of other Government agencies charged with supporting business and economic development initiatives - many new jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities for Caymanians could be created. While the concept of comprehensively dealing with disposal of solid waste has been articulated, there is very little detail required on this component of the facility's system. Specific recycling targets should be specified. At a minimum, the goals set forth in the 2008 Draft Development Plan should be adopted. This would ensure at least 12% is recycled with that target increasing to 32% over the following 20 years. Waste to Energy The use of "proven technology, sound design and high quality construction" is listed as objectives of the RFP. However, this is inconsistent with the latitude afforded in the minimum evaluation criteria section. It requires that the selected WTE technology be in use for a minimum of one year or that it will be operating within 6 months of contract award. Elsewhere the RFP refers to gasification technology, a relatively new form of WTE with few successful commercial examples worldwide. Financial implications The RFP requires the successful bidder to finance its proposed undertaking to build, own and operate a Comprehensive Solid Waste Disposal Management and Waste-to-Energy Facility. While the RFP states that WtE must form the 'core technology', it also calls for economical balance. Yet according to WISE WtE is not necessarily the most economically appropriate approach, and the organisation remains sceptical as to whether the economics of WtE are sustainable in the long term. Therefore, the financial modelling by any proposer will require careful analysis while the terms and conditions and most likely, the fees that may be required to be guaranteed by Government and ultimately borne by the public, will require equal scrutiny. WISE supports the government's initiative in principle and acknowledges the complexity of the issue. Likewise, in recognizing the shortcomings of the RFP which may make it difficult for proposers to comply with all RFP requirements, we trust that Government will embrace the opportunity in accepting proposals to invite those proposers with technical and financial merit to make in-person presentations to its Technical Advisory Committee/Central Tenders Committee and to engage in constructive dialogue. "We must be mindful that a quality decision in complex situations such as this is dependent on the quality of information and a decision-making process that is open to examining all viable alternatives and is committed to ultimately crafting a solution unique to Cayman's circumstances." WISE said in its statement.