Post by Logan on May 11, 2016 12:49:50 GMT -6
Puerto Rico citizens' group warns about the island's non-compliant landfills
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The multi-sectoral citizens’ group Puerto Rico Limpio has sent a letter to Congressman Raúl Grijalva, ranking member of the US House Committee on National Resources, to warn him and denounce the crisis Puerto Rico is living through with 22 of its 27 municipal landfills that are violating federal and local laws.
The co-founder of the group and its spokesman, Hiram Torres Montalvo, said that he was taking advantage of Grijalva's visit to the island to call his attention to the public health and environmental threat from the non-compliant landfills that are toxic for communities.
"In the letter, we pointed out to the congressman that 80% of our landfills have been out of compliance with federal and state regulations for a long time, but continue to operate and put in danger the health of the people and the environment. We told him in the letter about the specific problems like the outflow of toxic liquids that end up in bodies of water and drinking water systems. We also pointed out that the majority of the active cells of landfills are not adequately covered and there are no systems to control the accumulation of methane gas as required by law," Montalvo said.
In the letter, the congressman was also informed that many of the non-compliant landfills are close to residential communities and/or close to parks recreation zones, schools and main roadways.
Read more: www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Puerto-Rico-citizens'-group-warns-about-the-island's-non-compliant-landfills-30348.html
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The multi-sectoral citizens’ group Puerto Rico Limpio has sent a letter to Congressman Raúl Grijalva, ranking member of the US House Committee on National Resources, to warn him and denounce the crisis Puerto Rico is living through with 22 of its 27 municipal landfills that are violating federal and local laws.
The co-founder of the group and its spokesman, Hiram Torres Montalvo, said that he was taking advantage of Grijalva's visit to the island to call his attention to the public health and environmental threat from the non-compliant landfills that are toxic for communities.
"In the letter, we pointed out to the congressman that 80% of our landfills have been out of compliance with federal and state regulations for a long time, but continue to operate and put in danger the health of the people and the environment. We told him in the letter about the specific problems like the outflow of toxic liquids that end up in bodies of water and drinking water systems. We also pointed out that the majority of the active cells of landfills are not adequately covered and there are no systems to control the accumulation of methane gas as required by law," Montalvo said.
In the letter, the congressman was also informed that many of the non-compliant landfills are close to residential communities and/or close to parks recreation zones, schools and main roadways.
Read more: www.caribbeannewsnow.com/topstory-Puerto-Rico-citizens'-group-warns-about-the-island's-non-compliant-landfills-30348.html