In a significant environmental milestone, the British Virgin Islands (BVI) is poised to export 12,000 gallons of waste oil by the end of July 2024.
This initiative marks a critical step in the Department of Waste Management’s ongoing efforts to achieve a cleaner, greener, and improved Virgin Islands.
Director of the Department of Waste Management, Mr. Marcus Solomon, expressed the department’s enthusiasm for this development.
He said, “We are ecstatic to be able to divert this oil from the landfill, which lowers our vulnerabilities to adhoc fires.” Solomon highlighted the broader significance of this export, noting that it positions the BVI to contribute to global sustainability development goals by repurposing waste materials.
The exportation of waste oil not only reduces environmental hazards but also aligns with the BVI’s commitment to sustainability. The initiative underscores the importance of proper waste management practices and community involvement in achieving these goals. Director Solomon thanked the community for their support in helping the department reach this milestone but emphasized that there is more that can be done to enhance the collection processes.
“We want the public to refrain from mixing oil and gas together in the same container as there are separate storage facilities identified for each,” Solomon advised.
He also urged households, small commercial businesses, hotels, restaurants, and government organizations to bring small quantities of waste oil directly to the collection facility from Monday to Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
Additionally, Solomon reminded the public to avoid dumping garbage at the waste oil facility. Instead, garbage should be placed in community dumpsters, discarded through the house-to-house collection program, or taken directly to designated dumpsites throughout the territory.