October 9th, 2018
According to a recent press release, the BVI Government has announced that the process of transporting metal trash out of the BVI has begun. The first of the 5,000 ton barges arrived in the Territory on September 27. Two additional vessels arrived subsequent to that. The barges are currently being loaded with scraps of metal and crushed derelict cars from the Pockwood Pond and Cox Heath dumps.
This material was collected by the Department of Waste Management after Irma and Maria and will now be shipped out of the territory. The Department of Waste Management has collected 3000 derelict cars since November 2017 and over 12,000 tons of scrap metal at the Cox Heath waste site. The process and eventual exportation of derelicts and metals on Virgin Gorda is scheduled to start this month as well.
According to the release, Department of Waste Management’s Manager, Greg Massicote stated that the teams have been working around the clock to get as much metals and derelicts onto the barges. When speaking about the first barge that entered the Territory, Massicote said, “This barge is about 5,000 tons [in size] which means it is probably going to take about 4,500 tons. It is going to have a rotation more or less over the next couple of weeks; so the idea is not only to clean up these sites but also in the process, continue picking up whatever metals [that remain] around the island [Tortola] and the Territory.”
Good to see that it is finally getting cleaned up!