The Council finally agreed to move on the dump and honestly I am still processing the fact that the constant smoke might actually stop being a part of our daily lives here. It was such a long fight with the toxic air and the endless council meetings but we really …
June 21, 2016
Final supporters
SHOW THAT YOU CARE.
Request the Council of Ministers to prioritize and address the Sanitary Landfill (aka The Dump) on Pond Island in Philipsburg, St. Maarten NOW!
Honorable Council of Ministers,
We, concerned residents of St. Maarten (hereinafter referred to as “Residents”), would like to ask your attention for the below.
Taking into consideration that:
- The Sanitary Landfill on Pond Island, Philipsburg St. Maarten (also referred to by many as “The Dump”) has reached its economic lifespan several years ago as confirmed by previous Ministers in Parliament meetings. Despite this fact, garbage continues to be dumped on this area over exceeding the limitations of the site.
- The Sanitary Landfill can be seen smoldering (because it’s ‘burning’ below the top surface) on most days of the year and by doing so the toxic smoke it emits is a health hazard to both residents and visitors of St. Maarten on a continual basis, not only when big fires occur of which the recent occurred on April 15, 2016.
- The toxic smoke emitted by the Sanitary Landfill is not only affecting residents ‘down-wind’ of the immediate surroundings of the site but can also be smelled many miles away and during large fires even as far as ‘over the hill’ (Cole Bay, Simpson Bay area). The conclusion is that the Sanitary Landfill is affecting the health of residents in many districts of St. Maarten.
- Apart from the Sanitary Landfill being a health hazard for residents and visitors on a continual basis, it has grown to become a very large hill of undocumented garbage in the center of a densely populated Philipsburg area. The constant threat of possible large explosions with extensive collateral damage which cannot be ruled out (as there is no actual record of what materials have been dump and their respective volumes), is a public safety issue.
- The location of the Sanitary Landfill in the center of the Philipsburg area is also not an ideal image for residents and visitors, the latter being St. Maarten’s only revenue source.
- The Sanitary Landfill also goes against the Constitution of St. Maarten as Article 21 states that “the “Government shall take steps to promote public heath” and Article 22 states “It shall be the constant concern of the Government to keep the country habitable and to protect and improve the natural environment and the welfare of animals”. Government’s failure to properly resolve the situation at the Sanitary Landfill is in breach of the Constitution of St. Maarten, because with every day, and with every fire, the country becomes uninhabitable.
Hereby, concerned residents call on Government to:
1. Prioritize this issue to be dealt with urgently in the next COM meeting
2. Issue and communicate a deadline as to when a solution to the Sanitary Landfill problem can be expected.
3. Issue an instruction, including a deadline for project completion, to the relevant Government Department(s) to execute the project that tackles the Sanitary Landfill problem.
We thank you for your time and attention to this urgent problem facing many residents of St. Maarten.
Sincerely,
Concerned Residents of St. Maarten
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 20, 2016
April 19, 2016
I spent the morning reading through all the comments about the smoke and I really am just floored by how many people are living with this health mess every single day. I have been trying to track down someone at the ministry who will actually speak to us but silence is honestly all I am getting right now which just makes me even more determined to keep this going.
April 19, 2016
I was just staring at the screen and realizing we are almost at a thousand names which is wild because I remember when I started this just hoping for ten. Maybe if everyone who sees this just points it toward one other person who actually lives here we can finally hit that milestone before the next council meeting and show them we are not going anywhere.
Reached 100 supporters
April 18, 2016
504 Comments
I live and work right across from the Dump. It is absolutely stunning to know that it is of no concern to the powers that be, that the students and future of St. Maarten are attempting to learn while inhaling toxic fumes daily. It has to stop!
This isn't rocket science folks. Sustainable waste management isn't usually a technical problem, it is an administrative and budgetary problem. The public administrators of SXM need to step and solve this problem, for everybody's sake. It's their job.
Solve this problem as soon as possible please. Even in Colebay I get sick of all the toxins. After every fire on the dump I'm coughing for weeks and the headaches take even longer. The poor people who live closer by must be feeling it much worse. This is unacceptable.
Since driving through the smoke on Friday all of my allergies have been activated. However this isnt about my general discomfort anymore this is threathening to be an environmental disaster for this island of momumental proportions.
Been living here for 36 years,the birth place of my father.Have seen positive and negative changes.But this is a priority that HAS to be taken care of.Remember this is a tourist island= bad publicity.Remember the health of your own people,we live here,don't we?
Is there not one multi millionaire or billionaire that comes here every season with their private jets and their toys, that are willing to help?
It's tragic to see this beautiful island being treated in such irresponsible way. Visited it every year since 2009 and things are getting worst with every visit!
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Copy link or share directly
The Council finally agreed to move on the dump and honestly I am still processing the fact that the constant smoke might actually stop being a part of our daily lives here. It was such a long fight with the toxic air and the endless council meetings but we really …
June 21, 2016
Final supporters
SHOW THAT YOU CARE.
Request the Council of Ministers to prioritize and address the Sanitary Landfill (aka The Dump) on Pond Island in Philipsburg, St. Maarten NOW!
Honorable Council of Ministers,
We, concerned residents of St. Maarten (hereinafter referred to as “Residents”), would like to ask your attention for the below.
Taking into consideration that:
- The Sanitary Landfill on Pond Island, Philipsburg St. Maarten (also referred to by many as “The Dump”) has reached its economic lifespan several years ago as confirmed by previous Ministers in Parliament meetings. Despite this fact, garbage continues to be dumped on this area over exceeding the limitations of the site.
- The Sanitary Landfill can be seen smoldering (because it’s ‘burning’ below the top surface) on most days of the year and by doing so the toxic smoke it emits is a health hazard to both residents and visitors of St. Maarten on a continual basis, not only when big fires occur of which the recent occurred on April 15, 2016.
- The toxic smoke emitted by the Sanitary Landfill is not only affecting residents ‘down-wind’ of the immediate surroundings of the site but can also be smelled many miles away and during large fires even as far as ‘over the hill’ (Cole Bay, Simpson Bay area). The conclusion is that the Sanitary Landfill is affecting the health of residents in many districts of St. Maarten.
- Apart from the Sanitary Landfill being a health hazard for residents and visitors on a continual basis, it has grown to become a very large hill of undocumented garbage in the center of a densely populated Philipsburg area. The constant threat of possible large explosions with extensive collateral damage which cannot be ruled out (as there is no actual record of what materials have been dump and their respective volumes), is a public safety issue.
- The location of the Sanitary Landfill in the center of the Philipsburg area is also not an ideal image for residents and visitors, the latter being St. Maarten’s only revenue source.
- The Sanitary Landfill also goes against the Constitution of St. Maarten as Article 21 states that “the “Government shall take steps to promote public heath” and Article 22 states “It shall be the constant concern of the Government to keep the country habitable and to protect and improve the natural environment and the welfare of animals”. Government’s failure to properly resolve the situation at the Sanitary Landfill is in breach of the Constitution of St. Maarten, because with every day, and with every fire, the country becomes uninhabitable.
Hereby, concerned residents call on Government to:
1. Prioritize this issue to be dealt with urgently in the next COM meeting
2. Issue and communicate a deadline as to when a solution to the Sanitary Landfill problem can be expected.
3. Issue an instruction, including a deadline for project completion, to the relevant Government Department(s) to execute the project that tackles the Sanitary Landfill problem.
We thank you for your time and attention to this urgent problem facing many residents of St. Maarten.
Sincerely,
Concerned Residents of St. Maarten
Updates
Reached 1,000 supporters
April 20, 2016
April 19, 2016
I spent the morning reading through all the comments about the smoke and I really am just floored by how many people are living with this health mess every single day. I have been trying to track down someone at the ministry who will actually speak to us but silence is honestly all I am getting right now which just makes me even more determined to keep this going.
April 19, 2016
I was just staring at the screen and realizing we are almost at a thousand names which is wild because I remember when I started this just hoping for ten. Maybe if everyone who sees this just points it toward one other person who actually lives here we can finally hit that milestone before the next council meeting and show them we are not going anywhere.
Reached 100 supporters
April 18, 2016
504 Comments
I always wondered what the pond would look like had the dump not been installed there. Would we still live up to our old name, Soualiga, land of salt? This [menace] to the environment has plagued our beautiful isle long enough. It is time to reclaim our home!
I live and work right across from the Dump. It is absolutely stunning to know that it is of no concern to the powers that be, that the students and future of St. Maarten are attempting to learn while inhaling toxic fumes daily. It has to stop!
This isn't rocket science folks. Sustainable waste management isn't usually a technical problem, it is an administrative and budgetary problem. The public administrators of SXM need to step and solve this problem, for everybody's sake. It's their job.
Solve this problem as soon as possible please. Even in Colebay I get sick of all the toxins. After every fire on the dump I'm coughing for weeks and the headaches take even longer. The poor people who live closer by must be feeling it much worse. This is unacceptable.
Since driving through the smoke on Friday all of my allergies have been activated. However this isnt about my general discomfort anymore this is threathening to be an environmental disaster for this island of momumental proportions.
Been living here for 36 years,the birth place of my father.Have seen positive and negative changes.But this is a priority that HAS to be taken care of.Remember this is a tourist island= bad publicity.Remember the health of your own people,we live here,don't we?
Is there not one multi millionaire or billionaire that comes here every season with their private jets and their toys, that are willing to help?
It's tragic to see this beautiful island being treated in such irresponsible way. Visited it every year since 2009 and things are getting worst with every visit!
Share Petition
Don't stop at signing, share the petition link with friends to multiply our impact
Petitions like this
Other petitions you might want to support
Scan to share
Anyone who scans this can sign the petition.
I always wondered what the pond would look like had the dump not been installed there. Would we still live up to our old name, Soualiga, land of salt? This [menace] to the environment has plagued our beautiful isle long enough. It is time to reclaim our home!