World Environment Day

World Environment Day is celebrated on Saturday, 5 June 2021. This year’s theme is ‘Reimagine. Recreate. Restore.’

To mark World Environment Day, we have shared below some of the measures in place on the Island which contribute to St Helena’s national goal of ‘Altogether Greener’.

Organic Waste Composting

At their organic waste processing area, Horse Point Landfill Site (HPLS), Waste Management Services (WMS) are now producing quality compost on a small commercial scale by blending fish waste, piggery effluent and chipped forestry waste that would otherwise be landfilled.

Agronomist, Ed Whitton, said:

“The compost created by WMS is a great step forward for St Helena. Not only is it utilising material that would otherwise be waste but it is also providing a valuable commodity to the Island’s farmers and gardeners. Compost is a great source of nutrients and soil enhancing ‘organic matter’ that is fundamental for sustainable and productive soils (HPLS) has the resources to make compost in significant quantities, and producing quality compost on-Island reduces the need for expensive imported compost.”

During the composting process the blended waste is turned and aerated using the Landfill plant and saturated with rainwater. Rainwater is harvested from the roof of the large building on-site into a reused 54000ltr container, to negate the use of mains water. WMS have also engineered an overflow into a second reused container with 18000ltr capacity nearer to the composting area.

These redundant containers were headed for the Landfill before being reused for the organic waste composting initiative.

Nurseries Officer, Vanessa Thomas-Williams, added:

“The compost is really good. A PH test of the soil read 6.9 and that is good for our plants. I know it is slightly acidic but we do add top soil etc with it. The compost produced is good enough to sell.”

Climate Change Mitigation

WMS have expanded their services and incorporated the maintenance of the picnic areas along the Access Road (developed by WMS in 2019 through the Governor’s Enabling Fund) and grass and weed cutting around public toilets, bus shelters and communal bins into normal operations.

These operations are delivered using much quieter STIHL cordless power systems, replacing petrol models, in line with the SHG Climate Change Policy objective: ‘Identify and prioritise measures to reduce and minimise Greenhouse Gas emissions’, and Goal 4 of the Waste Management Implementation Plan: ‘Design and develop environmentally sustainable waste management projects that improve the quality of Island life’.

Glutton Electric Urban Street Vacuum Coming Soon to St Helena

100% electric powered, it vacuums up any waste that will pass through a 12.5cm tube; paper, cardboard, cigarette packets and butts, cans and glass, plastic bottles, dead leaves etc. With near si-lent operation it can be used anywhere and at any time of the day, without causing noise pollution and with zero CO2 emissions. With its 24m2 anti-dust filter and no dust ejected into the atmosphere, it is also environmentally friendly.

Environmental Risk Manager, Mike Durnford, commented:

“The Glutton will modernise how we maintain public areas in Jamestown and will benefit residents, businesses and ultimately the environment.”

Green for Green – World Environment day Infographic

#StHelena #WorldEnvironmentDay #AltogetherGreener

SHG

4 June 2021

St Helena Government Communications Hub

Telephone: 22470
Email: kimberley.peters@sainthelena.gov.sh