Ongoing efforts to block Cutumay Camones landfill
The struggle of local communities to block the construction of Santa Ana's new landfill continues. Two weeks ago, riot police and various persons clashed near the landfill site. Yesterday, protesters began an indefinite hunger strike to bring attention to their cause. The communities around Cutumay Camones fear the contamination of their drinking water by a poorly planned and poorly situated landfill.
Today, a special commission on the handling of solid waste in the country issued a report on the situation. In the report the commission established that the business PRESYS, S.A. de C.V. was not qualified to construct the sanitary landfill due to its lack of experience in projects of this type, its lack of installed capacity, and its lack of previous contracts.
The commission noted that there was only a construction permit from the environment ministry and not an operating permit. There had not been adequate citizen consultation or consideration of risks to surrounding communities. PRESYS was criticized for using outdated hydrologic maps from 1984 which did not consider the impact of seismic activity in the years since.
The commission's strongest recommendation was that El Salvador's Attorney General begin a criminal investigation into the process in which the contract was awarded to PRESYS.
Today, a special commission on the handling of solid waste in the country issued a report on the situation. In the report the commission established that the business PRESYS, S.A. de C.V. was not qualified to construct the sanitary landfill due to its lack of experience in projects of this type, its lack of installed capacity, and its lack of previous contracts.
The commission noted that there was only a construction permit from the environment ministry and not an operating permit. There had not been adequate citizen consultation or consideration of risks to surrounding communities. PRESYS was criticized for using outdated hydrologic maps from 1984 which did not consider the impact of seismic activity in the years since.
The commission's strongest recommendation was that El Salvador's Attorney General begin a criminal investigation into the process in which the contract was awarded to PRESYS.
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