BY BEN BILUA
Gizo
GIZO Town Council (GTC) welcomes the government’s plan to build a Shredder Facility at the provincial capital.
In an interview with SunGizo, Gizo Town Clerk, Charles Kelly said his office is looking forward to the development.
He said his office is in contact with South Pacific Environmental Programme (SPREP) and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Meteorology and Disaster Management about the proposed development.
Kelly said discussion has shown positive progress that draft of the facility’s design will be carried out soon followed by tender process to find a suitable construction company to build the facility.
He said GTC has allocated land for the proposed development near the current Gizo rubbish dump.
“This is one of my exciting projects as it will provide lots of benefits to Gizo residents and also market vendors from surrounding communities,” Kelly said.
“I’m hoping to see this development eventuate so that we can take care of green rubbish generated by market vendors at Gizo Market,” he added.
He said Gizo market produces half a ton of green rubbish each day making it difficult for GTC to manage the rubbish at the moment.
Kelly said the proposed Shredder facility will address the increasing production of green rubbish at the Gizo Market.
“Not only that, the bonus of this facility will be extended to farmers so as scholars. We are planning to establish a research center and we will also turn the rubbish into manure and sell them to our farmers.
“Overall, this proposed development will target green rubbish management,” Kelly said.
Speaking during the launching of Plasticwise Gizo last month, Under Secretary Technical of the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology, Chanel Oroi said MECDM has submitted a proposal to PacWaste Plus – a project funded by European Union through the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP).
He told those present that the application is based on the idea to establish a recycling center and an organic compost facility to address organic waste from Gizo Market.
“We will be further consulting your government (Western Province) and other stakeholders including Plasticwise Gizo in this proposal.
“I understand that discussion at the technical level with the provincial environment focal points has been underway.
“We will definitely bring this to the attention of the Provincial Executive Level and other stakeholders,” Iroi said.
