NSWMA Receives Environmental Permits To Operate Riverton Disposal Site

March 18, 2014

The Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) at its scheduled monthly meeting held this morning granted two environmental permits to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA). The granting of the permits should see improved management of the Riverton Disposal Facility.

The Environmental Permits are issued in the categories:

• Solid waste treatment and disposal and
• Hazardous waste storage, transportation, treatment or disposal facility

The NRCA in granting the permits considered the lack of resources at the NSWMA and recommended that it seeks the required funding to comply with the conditions of the permits as well as improve its revenue earning potentials.

The permit requires the NSWMA to adhere to conditions on a phased basis.

The first phase of the permit is for one year.

The recommended conditions under phase one of the permit cross-cut health and environment conditions developed by the Technical Review Committee; an interagency committee drawn from government commenting agencies and departments. The conditions include areas such as solid waste disposal cell management, fire fighting and emergency response, dust control, access road maintenance, security, vector control management, ambient water quality management, and air quality management. The ambient water quality and air quality conditions will be phased within nine months of the effective date of the permit.

The second phase of the permit lasts two years and includes additional conditions related to the establishment and maintenance of a special waste cell and holding area for e-waste.

The third phase, which is also two years, includes additional conditions related to gas collection and flaring, and the management of used tyres.

All phases of the permit have strict reporting conditions to ensure NEPA is made fully aware of the progress being made by the NSWMA in the Management of the Disposal Facility.

The hazardous waste permit, allows the NSWMA to handle and store e-waste, used tyres and asbestos containing materials at the facility in specialized areas and with the prior approval of the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). The conditions allow for environmentally sound management of these categories of waste

The NRCA mandated the Chief Executive Officer of its administrative body, the NEPA, to meet with the Executive Director of the NSWMA to explain the conditions of the permits, so as to ensure compliance.

The NRCA is committed to working with the NSWMA in improving the operations at the Riverton Disposal Facility and will be closely monitoring operations at the Facility to ensure the NSWMA is compliant with the conditions set out in the Environmental Permits.