Two Thursdays ago, a fire broke out at the landfill at the Heights of Guanapo in Arima. For several days, fuelled by mountains of waste at the site, the fire raged, sending clouds of foul-smelling smoke into surrounding communities. Managers of the facility tried to downplay the possibility of short and long-term health and environmental damage from the fire by claiming that only household waste is dumped at that site. However, even common household items-plastics, cleaning supplies, glues and some types of stationery-emit volatile organic compounds. These emissions not only pollute the atmosphere with foul smells but release a complex array of harmful compounds, including carcinogens. These dangers emanate not only from Guanapo, but also from the three other landfills in this country. There have been numerous occasions when fires at the Beetham landfill have left clouds of noxious smoke hovering over the capital for days. All four landfills are well past their expiry dates, so apart from air pollution, they are also sources of water pollution, leaking a toxic swill called leachate into ground and surface water. The Environment Ministry is reportedly working on a new national waste-management policy and plans to introduce new systems to replace these landfills.
However, the authorities appear to feel no sense of urgency in tackling these and other long-standing environmental matters which pose significant threat to the health and quality of life of the population. The authorities are yet to deal effectively with the challenges of water pollution from agricultural chemicals, industrial wastes, and raw sewage; oil pollution of beaches; deforestation; soil erosion-to name a few. In addition, as a small island developing state, Trinidad and Tobago is vulnerable to a range of natural and man-made disasters. The country's small size and limited capacity to absorb shocks leave it liable to suffer disproportionate damage from any of these events. With the establishment of the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) in 1995, T&T acquired an agency to write and enforce laws and regulations for environmental management, to educate the public about the environmental issues and to control and prevent pollution, as well as conserve natural resources. There is also a tribunal, the Environmental Commission, a superior court of record which hears appeals from decisions taken by the Authority. There is a Ministry of the Environment, too, which suggests that such matters are given high priority by the Government. However, that seems to be more in theory than in practice. Incidents in recent months, including the destruction of lush forests near the world-famous Asa Wright Nature Centre, show that not enough is being done to manage the fragile environments of these islands.
There has been a lot of impressive talk, short-term initiatives here and there, and carefully prepared media releases showcasing the work of the EMA. However, random beach clean-ups and tree plantings are of limited benefit in a country where floods, bush fires and other major disasters are usually the result of environmental neglect. Even average rainfall triggers flash flooding, as drains and waterways clogged with tonnes of plastic bottles and other waste are always on the verge of overflow. The EMA appears to play a largely reactive role. Senior officials rushed to defend the certificate of environmental clearance granted to the quarry that stripped the hills near Asa Wright of their ancient greenery. Residents of Maloney and Mausica complained for years about the foul stench pervading those areas. Their complaints were ignored until recently, when the putrid smell ruined the opening of the St Barbara's Spiritual Baptist Primary School by Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The negative publicity prompted immediate action from EMA officials-who only then began to track down the source of the stench. The agency must adopt a more proactive, enlightened approach. The EMA needs to devote more resources and time to monitoring and enforcement and raising public awareness-all essential for the effective management of the country's battered environment.