PHILIPSBURG – The National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) as a follow-up to the procurement of Alternative Daily Cover (ADC) materials and equipment for the Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment & Infrastructure (VROMI) provided a training to the Ministry on proper usage last week. The four-day workshop, facilitated by LSC Environmental Products on behalf of the NRPB, provided training on the setup, operation, and maintenance of the specialized equipment as well as the preparation and application of ADC material.  The use of the ADC mixture reduces odors and vectors such as flies, birds and rodents that can carry diseases. The consistent application of ADC will further help to reduce the chances of future surface fires on the landfill.

The ADC equipment and materials, delivered in August, will be used to cover the waste disposed during the day with a special water/clay/cement mixture. The applicator carrying about 2000 pounds of the mixture is capable of spraying up to 50 meters away and cover between 1000 and 2000 square meters with each load.  LSC Environmental Products will continue to provide remote assistance to the VROMI Ministry and the newly trained operators. “The ADC material is a great alternative to use as daily coverage of the waste on the landfill.” remarked Claudius Buncamper, Head of the Department of Infrastructure. “Financial projections will show the worth of this investment as the ADC material uses far less space than the sill that we are currently using.  Also, once covered the waste is no longer burnable and poses no health ramifications to the general public.  The trade-off however may be a discoloration of the landfill as the ADC, because it is a cement-based material, has a gray coating.”

In addition to the ADC, the NRPB is currently finalizing the procurement of additional heavy equipment such as a compactor and bulldozer for the continued improvement of the landfill management.  This activity is part of the Emergency Debris Management Project (EDMP) that is funded by the Sint Maarten Trust Fund, which is financed by the Government of the Netherlands, managed by the World Bank and implemented by the National Recovery Program Bureau.

Photo caption(s): Newly trained VROMI workers (in orange) stand next to instructors from LSC Environmental Products