Earlier this week, we highlighted some of the many dangerous substances present in the Riverton City dump, which become airborne whenever there’s a fire (and there has been a major one every year of the last decade except 2013) and the potential ill effects on human health. Much of the information we shared came from the Jamaican Environment Trust (JET) website, which has been advocating for the closure of the dump since 1991. More than one million Jamaicans are likely to be affected each time a section of the dump burns, and we have seen it in full effect with this particular fire, said to be the worst one yet: 50 schools had to be closed, along with more than 30 businesses; hospitals and clinics were kept busy tending to people in respiratory distress; operations at the Kingston port were stalled and the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) was postponed by a week, affecting students all across the country.
JET has collected a number of reports related to the Riverton dump and solid waste management, available under the Advocacy & Law tab. You can also find the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) permits on Jamaica’s developmentalert.org page.
Related:
How To Cope With Smoke Inhalation From The Riverton Fire
