The local media seems to have completely forgotten about it. But the huge tyre fire at Riverton City dump, which started in the early hours of Sunday morning (March 16) is, one understands, still burning. Here’s a link to the aerial survey done yesterday (March 19) by Zomian Thompson’s helicopter outfit, Drone-maica, after the fire had been supposedly “cooled down”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iu_lsWsgak
I’m also posting a release from Jamaica Environment Trust (who are paying attention) sent out early this morning:
The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) remains concerned over the impact of the recent fire at the Riverton City Dump on the public. This morning residents of Kingston, St Andrew and sections of St Catherine awoke to a fifth day of compromised air quality as the fire at the dump continues to smoulder.
The fire began early Sunday morning, March 16th, in the tyre cell of the dump, and is only the most recent incident in an ongoing management deficit at the dump which has existed over decades. Although the official word from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is that the fire is under control, it is apparent that it is still having a significant impact on air quality in the surrounding areas. “The effect of the fire is obviously not only limited to communities in the dump’s immediate vicinity,” says Diana McCaulay, JET CEO, “We have been receiving calls from concerned residents across the corporate area complaining about smoke from the dump fire and the impact it has been having on their respiratory health.” JET maintains that although communities in the immediate vicinity are most affected, the impact of dump fires of this magnitude on air quality are far reaching in their geographic spread.
JET calls on the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to provide constant updates on what should be regular air quality monitoring in the areas most seriously affected, until the fire is completely extinguished. JET also insists that the situation should not revert to business as usual once the fire is out and that the three government ministries with oversight responsibility for solid waste management – Health, Local Government and Environment – must ensure that urgent steps are taken to bring the Riverton dump into compliance with our environmental laws and the recent permits issued by NEPA.
Contact: Diana McCaulay, CEO. Tel: (876) 469-1315 OR Danielle Andrade. Tel: (876) 392-7341
Petchary's Blog 
Oh, my goodness … the pollution! Down in Victoria a fire got into a disused coal mine and it took them a month or so to put it out. Residents of a nearby town revolted and forced the government to call for an evacuation – that moved things along.
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My only comment s ‘Whaaaattttt???!!!!’
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I know, right! I will try to provide further updates on the ongoing saga. The government agencies always announce that the fire is “under control” and no longer burning quite prematurely! It’s exactly the same pattern, every time.
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Thanks Kate. Yes, I did try to include good news too – there is always some! As for the rain, I heard radio reports indicating that the drought is really biting now. A whole lot of crops went up in flames in St. Thomas today, but there was no fire engine available to put the fire out… There is no doubt that gradually, since we have been living here, it has slowly dried out. This is what is going to happen in the tropics with climate change, I understand And in between, extreme bouts of rainfall causing floods. Our front lawn used to be thick and lush but for the last few years, much of it has died off completely…
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That’s absurd!! Sigh. Hope noone is suffering as a result of this though.
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Well, I hope not either but certainly those living near the dump suffered tremendously (and of course, this is not the first time).
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