Just a question

calamardoazul

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What could be done to solve the problem of the dump located rigth in the entrance of Pto. Pta. city as if that were a "welcome to DR" monument?:confused: :alien:
 

Keith R

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Is this dump a private lot with trash on it? Unclaimed land? Or the city's dump, used by municipal sanitation trucks? I don't remember seeing something like that when I was in PP last July....
 

calamardoazul

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It's the city dump

It's located in the Cofresi area and it's covered from the view with some painted plywood.
 

Keith R

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Is this the same dump dms3611 was complaining about in his post in the landfill thread?
http://dr1.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=172971

If it's the municipal dump, the only solution is to get the feds to force the POP municipality to move it or to convert it to a true actively controlled dump. Without knowing all the technical specs of the site, my guess is that the latter method would be easiest and least expensive, whereas moving to a new site done as a true sanitary landfill would be tricky* and more expensive, but in the long run more sound sanitarily/environmentally. Both options cost money that I seriously doubt the local government is willing to spend, the national government will not allocate from its budget, and foreign donors have been leery for years about providing because of reluctance of North Coast mayors to reform how they manage such funds & how waste collection & management is conducted. Now with the gross mismanagement of loans by the Hipo crowd, I doubt any foreign or multilateral donor is rushing to fund such projects.

So what to do? Even if the Environment Ministry orders PP to convert or relocate that dump, my guess is nothing will happen unless & until local political pressure gets too heavy to be ignored.

That was actually the premise of a waste coalition I tried to form in the DR in 1999 -- get business interests with strong self-interest in getting the waste problem solved (such as the hotels, chamber of commerce & other tourism-sensitive groups in POP) , put them together with environmental & community groups (aren't there residents' associations in that area?) to give it a more populist flavor, and mix in other interested companies, groups & individuals, and have them as a group pressure the government to keep out of the way and keep their hands out of everyone's pockets on sanitary projects while the coalition solves things their way. Maybe a pipe dream, but given the right leaders (obviously not me! since my effort in 1999 didn't get far) & strategy, I still think it could work (someday).

Personally, I would nominate Dave (dms3611), with some technical advice from a competent sanitary engineer (there are a few in the DR, and if they are not available, I know tons elsewhere in Latin America who'd be willing to help!) to head the local project task force for the POP dumpl move. He's no-nonsense, bright and understands how things work around there. If the government money-grabbers can be kept at bay long enough, I bet he'd have this thing fixed in short order and show the DR that they CAN fix such problems if allowed to do it right.

But then, I tend to think a bit like a certain Dominican businessman friend of mine who often tells me, "?Si podemos!

Regards,
Keith

* You would have to find a site not too far from the city to make transport costs go up too much & thereby encourage clandestine dumping before reaching the landfill. The site would have to be a certain distance from populated area & current farmland & that perimeter maintained. Ground would have to be not so porous and not atop a key aquifer. Site with have to be lined with HDPE. Must be a certain size to enable growth cell by cell to have a truly useful lifespan (no use creating a fill that must be closed & replaced in just 6-5 yrs!).
 

calamardoazul

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Yes, it's the same.
I agree with you, something have to be done, that's gross. Pto.Pta. is a touristic area and environmental issues should be handle in a more proper way. Since I spend a lot of time in Pto.Pta. and I love that city I would like to see some changes, not only that dump , the city is dirty, the strees are full of garbage, potholes everywere, no running water in many areas of the city..Pto. Pta. deserves better city management....
:alien: