NEPA Serves Enforcement Notices On NSWMA & Jamaica North South Highway Company Ltd

April 22, 2014

The National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) has served an Enforcement Notice and a Notice of Intention to Suspend Permit on the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and a Cessation Order on the Jamaica North South Highway Company Limited for breaches of the National Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) Permit requirements.

The Enforcement Notice served on the NSWMA today requires the Agency to extinguish the fire and cease the discharge of smoke within the next three days at the Riverton City Disposal Facility and submit within 14 days of the Notice, a detailed report of the incident which started the fire on Friday, April 18.

NEPA is also demanding that the NSWMA put in a proper security system (as outlined under Specific Condition 23 of the Permit) within the next 30 days to prevent unauthorized access to the Riverton City landfill.

Under the second Enforcement Instrument, the Agency has warned that it will recommend the suspension of the Environmental Permit for breaches of Specific Conditions 23 and 33 of the Permit, which requires that that the solid waste disposal facility is secured to prevent access to the disposal site by unauthorized persons and animals and ensure that burning is strictly prohibited.

NEPA warned that if the breaches are not addressed within 30 days and failure to comply with the Notice would result in the suspension of the Environmental Permits.

In March, the NRCA had granted the NSWMA two environmental permits for solid waste treatment and disposal and hazardous waste storage, transportation, treatment or disposal facility at the Riverton City Disposal Facility.

Meanwhile, NEPA has also issued a Cessation Order on Jamaica North South Highway Company Limited, the registered company responsible for the China Harbour Engineering Company, which is contracted to construct the highway.

The Order is being enforced against the company for unauthorized clearing of lands outside of the approved alignment with respect to the construction of the highway, south of the approved road alignment for Segment 1 (Caymanas to Linstead) of the North South Highway.

The NRCA has ordered that Jamaica North South Highway Company Limited to immediately cease the activity or face prosecution.