Recycling Program is Not Keeping Up

Update - January 2007 - The Department of Environmental Health are now recycling:



    * waste oil

    * lead batteries

    * aluminum cans

    * plastic six pack holders with the John Gray Recyclers


WELL, WELCOME TO 2007 CAYMAN! AT THIS RATE WE WILL ONLY BE BURIED IN STYROFOAM, PLASTIC, BOTTLES, AND NEWSPAPERS BY 2009.


The Department of Environmental Health is hoping to be able to recycle more items in the very near future.  Please read the article below to find out what happened after Hurricane Ivan and why Recycling is still restricted at the moment.



Following Hurricane Ivan - September 2004



Recycling Programmes Temporarily Suspended - 14 September 2005



Department of Environmental Health’s recycling programme is not fully operational at this time according to Chief Environmental Health Officer Roydell Carter.



“When the George Town landfill was flooded with sea water during Ivan our recycling area including a storage shed and equipment was damaged. However, since the storm we have successfully reinstated our used oil and lead acid batteries recycling initiatives. To date since January 2005 we have shipped over 30,500 gallons of used oil and more than 4,000 marine and automobile batteries to recyclers in the US.”



Mr. Carter explained that the recycling programme for aluminium cans and office paper is not yet back in operation. “We are awaiting repairs to the roof of a storage shed and for parts for the baler and shredding equipment before we can resume full operation,” he said.



“We’re asking the public to be patient with us until the programmes are operational again.” Individuals can continue to collect soda cans and deliver them to the landfill or place in one of the community bins located at supermarkets across the island. Large containers with a DEH sticker on the side will be located at Hurley's Supermarket at Grand Harbour; Foster Food Fair airport location, and Kirk Supermarket on Eastern Avenue. The public is kindly asked to place only aluminium cans including empty sodas, beers and other aluminium product in these bins.



With the office paper recycling programme on hiatus the public is asked to shred their office paper or in turn store paper, if they can until the programme is resumed. “DEH is working to reinstate office paper recycling over the next couple of months,” said Mr. Carter.



“DEH is committed to reinstating the recycling programmes on the island and we are interested in introducing new recycling initiatives as our facilities become functional.”

As it is now in 2007, we still continue to throw our garbage into one bin!