The Ministry of Public Health said on Wednesday, 6 May 2020 that it would be another 72 hours before the fires at the Duquesa garbage dump are extinguished, as reported on Noticias SIN. A dense smog has blanketed Greater Santo Domingo. The situation is worsened by the curfew, meaning that people need to stay inside their homes from 5pm to 6am. The Ministry of Public Health has recommended that people seal openings of windows and doors with wet clothing.
The Ministry has forecast it will take another week to totally extinguish the fire at the garbage dump.
The fumes from the blaze at the garbage dump could not have come at a worse time. Already, Greater Santo Domingo is the main focus of the Covid-19 epidemic in the Dominican Republic, with 3,949 confirmed cases, or 45% of the 8,807 as of Bulletin #48 with cases reported up to 5 May 2020.
The smog covering has covered Greater Santo Domingo and parts of San Cristóbal province.
The smog had cleared on Tuesday morning, but by the evening was blanketing the city. The smog lasted all day on Wednesday.
On Wednesday, 6 May, for the first time Environment Minister Angel Estévez made a rare public appearance and appeared in a video clip aired by Noticias SIN arguing that putting out the fire “takes time.” Estevez said that the correct actions are being taken to cover the embers with limestone.
Opposition presidential candidate, Luis Abinader of the Modern Revolutionary Party (PRM), recommended that Greater Santo Domingo not depend on one space for its garbage. He also said there must be at least two sites and these be professionally managed. Abinader asked the government to explain what had been done with the funds that would have been allotted to the program “Dominicana Limpia,” a solution announced for the garbage dump, promoted by former Dominican Liberation Party (PLD) capital city mayor candidate, Domingo Contreras.
The Municipal League had announced in August 2018 the start of the long overdue technical closure of the Duquesa garbage dump and studies for a new solution to the solid waste problem for the municipalities of Greater Santo Domingo. At the time, landfill expert Pilar Tello had said the plan contemplated dividing Greater Santo Domingo into two parts. The Municipal League had reported the deposit of US$1 million from the Inter-American Development Bank to begin the intervention and the needed studies.
On 17 January 2020, President Danilo Medina created, through Decree 21-20, the Presidential Commission for the Restructuring of the Duquesa Open Air Landfill, integrating 15 government institutions including ministries and city governments.
In his daily coronavirus briefing, Public Health Minister Rafael Sanchez Cardenas said all hospitals have been alerted to an increase in cases of chronic respiratory disease as a result of the Duquesa smog. He said children are very vulnerable. He called for residents to take needed prevention measures.
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7 May 2020