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With Guernsey's new waste transfer station almost ready to go live, we're being reminded not to put anything potentially dangerous or hazardous in our black rubbish bags as they could explode or cause fires at the new facility.
Under the island's previous rubbish system, things like aerosols, batteries, gas canisters and flares, were all banned from our black bag waste, which until now has always ended up being dumped at Mont Cuet.
Now, States Works, which manages both Mont Cuet and Longue Hougue, have tried to remind people exactly what can and can't be thrown away.
Pictured: The Mont Cuet landfill site.
The items, which pose a risk to both the staff and equipment at the new waste transfer station, were always banned from black bag waste, but States Works said it wanted to issue a reminder following the recent fire at Guernsey Recycling on Bulwer Avenue, early in August.
They said that fire "reinforced the need for islanders to take care when disposing of potentially dangerous items or hazardous materials."
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Pictured: The waste transfer station, while it was being built.
States Works will be managing the new waste transfer facility, which will start processing our black bag waste this week. That means with all systems go at Longue Hougue, the managers want to remove as many risks as possible.
As well as the flammable items, other hazardous materials such as asbestos which release harmful fibres into the air when disturbed should not disposed of in general waste. Electrical items or large metal objects should also not be thrown away in black bags.
Pictured: Sheets of asbestos building material.
States Works said the new Waste Transfer Station facility includes machinery to shred the black bag waste, which will reduce material to a suitable size, extract any metal fractions, compact and bale it, ready to be exported for energy recovery.
Mark Torode, Senior Manager of States Works said, “our primary concern is for the safety of the staff operating the station, as well as the protection of public health and the environment. It’s also important to ensure any potentially costly repairs or processing downtime is avoided so the new transfer station can operate efficiently.”
Anyone with hazardous waste, has a few options for disposing of it safely:
States Works said they are currently working out ways to make it easier to recycle or dispose of these dangerous items in the future.
Pictured top: Clifford Roussel, Waste Transfer Station Assistant Manager, is pictured with a collection of dangerous items that have been found in black bags in the past including car engine parts, lithium batteries, flares, gas canisters and fireworks.
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