Related theme: Soil and groundwater
Period: 1 September 2020 until 31 June 2023
Client: BCRC-Caribbean & TAUW Foundation
TAUW contact person:
Litter is a pervasive issue that affects wetlands, oceans, and seas worldwide, causing a loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Microplastics, in particular, pose a significant threat due to their negative impact on marine life and humans, and their difficult detection. One significant source of marine litter is waste from dumpsites near the coast. The Beetham landfill, a non-engineered municipal waste disposal site located near the edge of the Caroni Swamp Nature Reserve, is a 70-hectare landfill in Trinidad that is of particular concern.
The ‘Improving the Caroni Ramsar nature Reserve - Reducing the Impact of Beetham Landfill and Surroundings in Trinidad’ project, funded by TAUW Foundation, was executed by a consortium consisting of TAUW, the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean) and the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company Limited (SWMCOL). The project aimed to introduce and transfer knowledge on the available practices for determining the migration of litter and leachate and to review the possibilities for pollution capture at the Beetham Landfill.
TAUW, with the support of SWMCOL and the BCRC-Caribbean, collected over 100 sediment samples and 5 leachate/water samples from the Beetham Landfill and surrounding mangrove forest. The samples were tested on among others heavy metals, total petroleum content, microplastics, aromatic hydrocarbons, volatile halogenated hydrocarbons, organochlorine pesticides, and feacal coliform. To reduce the impact of the Beetham Landfill on the environment and restore the mangroves, TAUW conceptualized and budgeted a remediation and restoration design.
TAUW, along with BCRC-Caribbean and SWMCOL, have organized several outreach activities to engage and inform stakeholders. For instance, they conducted an online seminar “Innovative approaches for detection of microplastics in sediments & nature-based solutions to limit the impacts of the landfill on the Caroni Swamp” at the University of the West Indies (UWI).
More detailed information on the project can be found via this link.
The project’s findings showed that some sections of the mangrove were seemingly healthy, while other sections were almost completely dead. Deposits of tar and oil formed around the landfill, causing vegetation to die. In the direct vicinity of the landfill, the sediments were severely contaminated with lead, zinc, arsenic, and copper, such that the concentrations can cause adverse effects to the ecosystem. The area contaminated with petroleum hydrocarbons is the most heavily polluted around the landfill.
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The project concluded that rehabilitation of the Caroni Swamp should focus on different areas of the Swamp, and it should be conducted in consecutive phases:
TAUW, along with BCRC-Caribbean and SWMCOL intend to advance the work at the Beetham Landfill to facilitate the remediation activities. Outreach activities will be conducted with key stakeholders as well as potential funding entities in an effort to secure the funding to advance the proposed works.
TAUW, along with BCRC-Caribbean and SWMCOL, have organized several outreach activities to engage and inform stakeholders. For instance, they conducted an online seminar “Innovative approaches for detection of microplastics in sediments & nature-based solutions to limit the impacts of the landfill on the Caroni Swamp” at the University of the West Indies (UWI).
More detailed information on the project can be found via this link.
SWMCOL, the landfill operator, is committed to improving the situation at the landfill and provided TAUW and BCRC-Caribbean with all the necessary support to ensure the success of the project. BCRC-Caribbean has ensured stakeholder engagement and developed a funding package, while TAUW provided the required technical expertise.
The combination of our strengths has enabled this project to thrive and serves as a testament to the collaborative efforts of all entities involved.
Inadequate hazardous waste storage or disposal operations can pose a serious threat to the environment and human health. At abandoned warehouses, factories, or hazardous waste storage sites, reactive and toxic chemical wastes are often stored in unsound and unsafe conditions.
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