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CASE STUDY TOPIC: SOLIDWASTE CASE

TITLE: THE RIVERTON LANDFILL FIRE - 2015

Course: BIOL265 : Principles of Environmental Health

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INTRODUCTION

Designed to highlight the Riverton city fire situation,

which have plagued the parishes of Kingston, St. Andrew

and St. Catherine for several years. Posing and

contributing tremendous to the health issues for people

who resides, do businesses, works and go to school in the

geographic location, due to the hazardous pollutant they

are exposed to.

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OBJECTIVE

History of the problem

Risk assessment

Risk management

Risk communication strategies

Vulnerable Group

Legislation in Jamaica

Conclusion

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HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM

Site is govern by the National Solid Waste

Management Act 200.

Fire Recurring for the past 12-year

12 fires over the last 10 years.

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HISTORY OF THE PROBLEM

Cause & Effects

Spontaneous combustion & Arson

Hazardous pollutants in the air

dioxins, carbon monoxide, benzene

Short and long-term health problems

Health system overwhelmed

Disruption of commercial & schools activities

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RISK ASSESSMENT

High 24-hour particulate matter (PM10)

reading detected from air testing

Readings above the WHO 24-hour average standard

(57g/m3 - 192g/m3) were recorded.

At all air monitoring locations for the first eight days of

the fire.

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RISK ASSESSMENT

29 test including priority air pollutants and critical air

pollutants.

26 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), detected including

benzene, toulene and decane.

16 above the lower concentration limit of the analysis method.

VOCs concentration varied

Highest concentrations being observed generally for benzene.

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RISKMANAGEMENT

Permits issued to Nation Solid Waste Management

Authority (NSWMA)

Prevention Programme for the site

Develop Emergency Response Plan and Facility

Fire Monitoring

Procuring fire- fighting equipment and conducting

air quality monitoring

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RISK COMMUNICATION

Air quality test conducted by authorised entities

Air quality monitoring done at designated check

points

Air monitoring test complied, compared and

analysed to determine findings.

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VULNERABLE GROUP & LEGISLATION IN JAMAICA

Vulnerable Group

Marginalized group

Close proximity

Work & school

Legislation in Jamaica

Governed by the National Solid Waste Management Act 2001.

Lawsuit

National Solid Waste Management in breath of human right.

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CONCLUSION

Unequivocally the Riverton City Dump fire in March 2015, was

renowned for the harmful effects of the historic reading of

benzene concentration that the population was exposure to. It

posed tremendous strain on the health system further impairing

it. Commercial and school communities had also encountered

grave inconvenient as it hindered normalcy in daily operations.

A Issue which have been reoccurring for the past 12 years. A

change in operation at the dump though revision of policies is astep in amending this emerging nuisance which plagued the

residents of these Parishes.