The completion of the three-year project also marks the start of a campaign to increase environmental awareness among the population. Government staff will this week start placing all recyclable materials in designated bags in their offices while a website (www.wastemanagement.gov.bm) will provide residents with more information on disposal of waste.

The Government is also developing measures to deal with ‘e-waste’ - computers and information technology equipment. It recently emerged that Bermuda generates more rubbish per capita than most industrialised nations, including the U.S. The Recycling Centre will have a key role in helping Government to attain its goal of doubling recyclable processing from 25 to 50 tonnes a week by 2008.

The facility is capable of processing 25 tonnes of tin, aluminium and glass in just one day.

Premier Dr. Brown was joined on a tour of the centre yesterday by Cabinet colleagues, Shadow Minister for Works and Engineering, Jon Brunson, Shadow Minister for the Environment, Cole Simmons and Susan Harvey of Keep Bermuda Beautiful.

Dr. Brown said: “I am very pleased today to officially open our new state-of-the-art recycling facility as it represents not only a fulfilment of a Throne Speech Initiative, but it reflects the Government’s commitment to a cleaner and sustainable environment for everyone in Bermuda, and it provides a healthier and more efficient working environment for our employees.

“It is our aim to encourage recycling as a partnership between the Government, every organisation and each resident because we all have a stake in Bermuda’s future.”

He said: “Living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic, recycling is an important part of our sustainability and our legacy to our future generations. Children live what they learn, so it is important that we commit to teaching our children about the importance of recycling in Bermuda. It is important that we as a community accept this responsibility for ourselves, for our children and for our children’s children.

“Recycling the vast amounts of tin, aluminium and glass that we use as consumers is just one little thing that each of us can and should do to make a positive and very big difference in the immediate future and in the long term.

“I’m asking every resident of Bermuda to help us to make our recycling campaign a success and a model for the rest of the world.”

Dennis Lister, Minister of Works and Engineering, said: “This plant will process in one day the same volume that is currently being processed in one week.

“One of the goals of our integrated waste management plan is to encourage everyone to reduce the volume of non-combustible waste that goes to the Tynes Bay Waste Treatment Facility and the amount of waste that goes to the Airport Facility.”

The Recycling Centre uses conveyor belts and magnets to separate tin, aluminium and glass into three cages. Manual ‘pickers’ pick out the non-TAG items, such as bags and plastic.

The waste is then crushed into bales with the tin and aluminium sold overseas and the glass used for asphalt mix and support for retaining walls.

Dr. Derrick Binns, Permanent Secretary of Works and Engineering, said three or four staff would be needed to operate the plant.

He said: “We will run one or two days a week until we increase the volume.

“It’s tremendous efficiency - what we could do before in one week we can now do in one day.”

Dr Binns reassured the 11 workers at the Devon Springs recycling plant that they would not lose their jobs.

He said: “We will offer them positions at this plant, and for other people we will offer them other positions within the ministry.”

He added: “Our plan is to use the Devon Springs site for e-waste, to dispose of computers in an environmentally-friendly manner.”

A spokesman for environmental group Greenrock said: “When Greenrock began in 2003, our primary focus was encouraging people to recycle. At that time though the small processing plant and outdated machinery was unable to handle the volume of material collected island-wide.

“This new centre has the capacity to process all of the island’s glass and cans. All residents and businesses can now participate fully and be confident in Bermuda’s recycling program.”

Anyone wanting to comment on recycling policy can email Greenrock at: info[AT]greenrock.org


PHOTO BY Tamell Simons New recycling plant ,Premier Ewart Brown opening new recycling plant.