Landfill dispute threatens to choke Dominican capital in trash

Santo Domingo.- The four mayors of Greater Santo Domingo on Wednesday asked the Environment Ministry to assume control of the landfill at the town of Duquesa, to deal with the contractor company Lajun’s decision to shut its gates at 5pm, as occurred on Tuesday.

The company’s announcement that garbage trucks will be received only from 8am to 5pm weekdays alarmed the mayors, whom at a press conference made the request to avert posing a threat to people’s health.

As expected, around 40 trucks lined up on the road to the landfill Wednesday afternoon waiting to dump the trash, as the situation worsened after 5pm when it closed the gates, leaving more than 100 loaded trucks outside.

Greater Santo Domingo Commonwealth president René Polanco said Lajun’s contract could be canceled on failure to comply with its provisions. “We’ll not turn our back on our responsibility, nor will we turn our backs on our citizens, with the responsibility that characterizes us if we have to rescind the contract we are going to rescind … we’re preparing in case we have to take over the landfill on weekends to do so, with its consequences.”