One of the most pressing environmental issues for the community is the George Town landfill site, a Government facility that manages the waste that visitors, residents and businesses on the Islands produce. It is known to most residents as 'Mount Trashmore'. This great mound of rubbish is evidence of the waste legacy of many generations.
The George Town Landfill
Even with significant pressure on the government from environmental organisations to find a solution, the fastest and most efficient way waste can be reduced is simply by each household making a conscious effort to reduce their solid domestic waste.
The proposed plan to tackle Cayman’s ever-growing landfill site is to create a comprehensive Integrated Solid Waste Management System (ISWMS) called ‘ReGen’. The public-private partnership between Dart and the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) will include a series of modern, efficient, clean and safe waste management facilities that will transform the way we handle our trash, with the main focus on Recycling, Renewable Energy and safe disposal of solid waste.
With the first phase of capping the landfill already well underway, the Government is hoping that this will finally be a successful attempt at 'fixing the landfill', which has been promised for decades.
Project ReGen
It has been almost six years since the Dart-led consortium was selected as the preferred bidder to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the new waste management facilities. Since then, the financial modelling has been updated, most recently at the beginning of 2023, but while the costs have soared in comparison to the original estimates, no final figure has been confirmed.
Though the deal between Government and the Dart consortium was expected on 31st July 2023, finances have not yet been agreed. The Government currently spends around CI$11 million disposing of the massive amount of rubbish generated in the Cayman Islands. This is partially offset by third-party revenues, but it is clear that future costs will be much more.
How ReGen is Expected to Look:
Source: ©2021 Waste Solutions Cayman Ltd.
What to Expect
It is anticipated that the ReGen facilities will be operational by 2027 once a financial deal is done, and it will take over responsibility for all public waste management for the next 25 years. It is expected that the ReGen integrated waste management facilities will have the capacity to divert up to 95% of waste from the landfill, with the majority of waste processed through an Energy Recovery Facility (ERF).
Any materials that cannot be repurposed or recycled, the ERF will incinerate, and the heat from the combustion will be utilised to generate steam to drive steam-powered turbines. The electricity generated from the turbines will then be exported to the grid through CUC, and it is estimated that this will contribute approximately 8.4 megawatts (MW) to the local grid. This translates to approximately 7% of the Islands' electricity needs during peak hours.
The ERF will operate under the European Union Industrial Emissions Directive air quality standards, which are currently considered the highest global standard. A new fully-lined residual waste landfill will accept material not suitable for the ERF and air pollution control residue (fly ash) generated as a by-product of the ERF combustion process.
A material recovery facility will be developed to sort and bale various recyclables, plastics, steel and aluminium cans, paper and card. The facility will also provide a commercial-scale composting area for horticulture/yard waste, and there will be a reuse centre where people can deposit unwanted but functional goods and furniture.
There is also an educational aspect to the project. A significant amount of work needs to be done to educate the public so current habits are radically altered and more environmentally friendly recycling practices are encouraged across the three Islands. ReGen is a sustainable waste management infrastructure that will allow for the final closure and remediation of the existing George Town landfill. Upon completion and commissioning of Project ReGen, Cayman should no longer be faced with an unmanageably large waste issue.