BY JOHN HOUANIHAU
THE Pacific games 2023 to be hosted here in Honiara will run for two weeks, producing up to 15,000-20,000- meals per day and 60 tons of waste every day.
To dispose of properly this huge amount of waste and with the need to locate a new landfill site, the Honiara City Council wastes management division is working around the clock with its partners to locate a new site to manage waste during the event and beyond.
Speaking to Environment media Solomon Islands, the Head of Wastes management division within HCC, Andrew Honi said that the HCC Waste management division has formed and assigned a task force that is responsible to carry out site observation to secure a new landfill site.
Mr Honi revealed that for the past few weeks the task force has been conducting site surveys, site observation visits and consultations around these areas with support from the National Government before a feasibility study is announced or made.
“Currently our current landfill at Ranadi still has the capacity to capacitate wastes however it is true that we totally need a new landfill site at the moment before the event is held.
In terms of our preparation for 2023 Games, Mr Honi said they’re expecting waste to increase from the fluctuation from the visiting neighbour countries and people who will be coming and therefore there is a need for a new landfill to be now operational before the events.
He stated that the National Government also have its own task force that is also working around the clock regarding the new landfill site.
“We are yet to hold a meeting somewhere next week to discuss the matter in securing the new landfill as well as a new cemetery site. In terms of the new landfill site, we are trying our best to ensure that it is operational before 2023.
“We were also looking at other options probably for securing a customary land for instance so that we can secure it before properly registering it and it seems we are going to work with the ministry of lands with regards to the matter,’’ he said.
“Currently we and our team are currently conducting a survey, site observation visit and consultations around this areas with support from the National Government taskforce,’’ he said.
He said that they are trying to make sure that the land for the major development is properly registered to avoid any issues.
“So far our task force has identified four sites, two in Westside and two in the east side however no further details on the four sites. That was according to the Information we have at hand at the moment,’’ said Honi.
The HCC wastes management head of division Boss said that the current landfill at Ranadi is 4 hectares and the new sites to be identified are expected not to be less than the current one.
“So that’s would be around probably 10 hectors. The current landfill at Ranadi can also be managed for substitute oneas well once the four new sites are formalised,’’ he said.