Waste Management

Vanuatu Waste Management

Waste management is actually a big problem in all the smaller islands in the pacific, and Vanuatu is no exception.

1) In Port Villa, all the waste from this city of 40,000 people is carried to and dumped at the Bouffa landfill located in a hilly area just outside of town, about 10 km from the city centre.

2) The Bouffa landfill was established in 1995, and by 2004 it was almost full due to the growing population in the city as well as the surrounding areas. The increase of imported goods also is a big factor in this overflow of waste.

Also, the landfill does not have pipes installed underneath it to release the leachate and the gas produced by the waste.

People living nearby are worried about pollution in the groudwater which could affect the environment such as the smell, flies, and animals attracted by garbage.

Smoulder and smoke are also reported at various spots in the landfill area caused by the gas that is produced.

3) I think that getting a recycling facility to pick out all organic materials will reduce the size of the landfill, as well as helping the environment by recycling. Boats or barges could come from nearby countries to help remove the waste from the landfill and dispose of it in their country (like Australia). An incinerator facitlity could work as well because there wont be trash infecting the groud water anymore, at the cost of air pollution however.