In an effort to toughen health and safety standards at the Riverton City landfill, the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has implemented new measures to stem potential for recurrence of fires and injury to children.

The drive includes a mandate to forcibly remove children seen loitering at landfills. A ban has been slapped on truckers who transport children to the dump or who remove scrap metal from the site.

Joan Gordon-Webley, executive director at NSWMA, said, "The changes come at a time because children are supposed to be in school, and not on the landfill, and parents are sending their children in these trucks, and they will light fires on the site."

Lose contracts

Gordon-Webley said many children have been seen loitering on the landfill and recovering scrap metal. The NSWMA chief said no arrests have been made but individuals were liable for prosecution under Section 44 (a) of the National Solid Waste Management Act. She warned that truckers who breached the new directives would lose their contracts.

The authority will shortly commence dialogue with health officials and parish councils to impound stray cows and pigs roaming at landfills, because of health concerns that might emerge later regarding meat consumption. The Riverton City landfill has experienced several massive fires in the past, billowing smoke and soot sometimes blanketing sections of Kingston and St Andrew as well as Portmore.

The most recent outbreak was on February 5. Two children suffered injuries.