Santo Domingo East Mayor Juan de los Santos and the director of the solid wastes project of the Ministry of Environment, Francisco Flores Chang, in a visit to El Caribe newspaper urged congress to pass a bill that would provide incentives for recycling in the country. The bill, which has stagnated in the Chamber of Deputies for over a year, calls for the implementation of programs that integrate the collection, treatment and final disposal of waste. If enacted, the proposed measure are expected to reduce the negative environmental impact of waste that is a major problem in the country. Flores Chang noted that there are approximately 358 open-air dumps in and around Santo Domingo that are located less than a kilometer from rivers and streams, putting at risk the health of the population. He added that 90% of all materials in the county’s solid waste is recyclable.
De los Santos, who also is the president of the Federation of Municipalities, said that the results of a recent study confirmed that a proliferation of unsightly garbage strewn across our nation’s cities and towns is often cited by tourists as a major problem in the country.
“Perhaps the general public does not realize the gravity of the trash problem that plagues our cities, but the future generations and the governments will have to pay the price for the mishandling of solid waste that is choking our country,” he said.
The bill establishes rules and regulations for citizens and public agencies and private companies to separate trash at its origin and creates incentives to segregate and aggregate materials that can be recycled. The bill also establishes tax incentives for companies that participate in environmental remediation projects.
The legislation being considered would obligate beverage companies and other manufacturers to recycle a good part of the materials used to package their products. The bill also calls for the Ministry of Education to include a teaching module that integrates appropriate waste management into the environmental education program for students in the fifth grade and above.
De los Santos also requested that Congress modify Law 157-07 to encourage foreign investment in creating more environmentally sound waste disposal facilities.
http://vanguardiadelpueblo.do/2014/09/15/politicas-publicas-dominicanas-en-el-manejo-de-los-residuos-solidos/