Oil Spill at Landfill: Water Table at Risk

Complaints were yet again received by The Abaconian on the excessive leakage of oil at the Central Abaco Landfill as pools of oil are forming on a section of the site near Snake Cay.

Investigations show several dozen barrels of used oil stacked on pallets in the middle of the landfill and the nearby ground saturated in oil, with pools draining across the road toward the leachate pond.

When we spoke with Minister of Housing and the Environment, Ken Dorsett, he said he had not been informed of the problem and would seek to find out about it.

The Department of Environmental Health Services (DEHS) is charged with the oversight of the landfill but the maintenance is contracted out to a local heavy equipment company as needed.

The Landfill, which was intended to eliminate the burning of trash and create a more environmentally friendly means of trash disposal for the island, has had its share of problems since opening, including design issues and damages that compromised the integrity of the site.

Oil spills are not new to the site as there have been several complaints in recent years. It was previously explained by a worker at the site that it is believed that the sun heats up the barrels eventually causing the ‘plug to pop out’ and oil leak.

The Bahamas Electricity Corporation’s (BEC) power station at Wilson City included an incinerator for used oil which some believe could be adapted to receive used oil from third parties.

Mr. Dorsett was unable to be reached for comment on what measures are being taken to deal with the situation.