Talking trash

MERGER talks are on between the island's two largest recyclers. If successful, it would see the operation of Diceabed (Barbados) Limited being taken over by Envirotech Inc. and based at the Belle Plantation Yard where a new recycling centre is under construction.

Diceabed has designed a shredder which converts newspapers into litter for use in chicken runs. It helps to dampen the odours and usually lasts for the entire growing period, after which it can be used as an agricultural fertiliser.

"It would fit right in with what we do and we already have the infrastructure for it; we might even be able to produce it cheaper," the
chief executive of Envirotech, Mel Harding, said. 

The new recycling centre boasts more parking space, a production centre, a recycled products shop, and a modular system for receiving recyclables.

"We have to make it as easy as possible for people to recycle and the modular units for receiving recyclables will do that," he said.

Visitors can watch how new products are made from discarded materials and they can purchase them at the recycled products shop.
Among the products are heavy duty doormats made from rubber tyres and lamps made from unusually-shaped bottles. Envirotech was also in talks with Government to be part of the national recycling programme which is to be located at Vaucluse Plantation in St.
Thomas, next door to the Mangrove Pond Landfill. With this in mind, the units for receiving recycables were designed as modules, each with the ability to be mobile, so they can be easily moved to a new location. Envirotech presently receive HDPE and PET (plastic) bottles, newspaper, cooking oil, glass containers, and batteries for recycling. They are hoping to start collecting thinners shortly as well as office paper which will be converted into compost.

Journalist tortured

KENYAN journalist Argwings Odera was arrested and tortured last month for his attempt to report on protests against the Sondu-Miriu Dam being built on a river that drains into Lake Victoria. Odera was accused of inciting protests and resisting arrest. He endured a broken finger and a bullet in his arm, and is now out on bail. He said the police are demanding that he compensate them for the rounds of ammunition fired at his car when he was in it. (Pan African News Service)

Friendly fuels harmful to birds

CHEMICALS used to make environmentally-friendly fuels could spell disaster for many British birds, experts said. Scientists leading an 18-month probe into the sharp decline in sparrow and starling populations in Britain believe benzene and methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), used to make unleaded gasoline, could be directly responsible. Billed as cleaner and greener, unleaded petrol uses the toxic chemicals to boost its octane-rating but the European Union planned to reduce the level of benzene in petrol by 80 per cent, while MTBE is being phased out in Denmark and parts of America. Population of the sparrow dropped by 50 per cent in the last five years
while startlings dropped by 61 per cent. (Reuters)

Bird Watch

EVEN though the Brown Pelican is the national bird of Barbados, it was never an indigenous bird. It was one of about 40 species of migratory birds observed during the 19th century. In his book The History Of Barbados, published in 1847, Sir Robert Shomburgk
estimated that there were fewer than 15 indigenous birds which included the Barbados Blackbird and the Sparrow. He attributed the small variety of birds to the absence of woods and forest. The other indigenous birds were:

•  The Chicken Hawk
•  The Pigeon Hawk
•  The Yellow Breast
•  The Blue Crested Humming Bird
•  The Parson Sparrow
•  The Small Parakeet or Love Bird
•  The Wood Pigeon or Pea Dove
•  The Ground Dove
  

Lack of funds blow to dengue fight

HIGH infestation of the Caribbean by the Aedes aegypti  mosquito which transmits dengue is being attributed to a shift in funding of eradication programmes because of economic problems. Antigua and Barbuda's chief government epidemiologist Dr. Janice Alexander
said that during the late 1970s and early 1980s, the mosquito, which was eradicated, had returned.

"What happened is that there were economic constraints and funds were withdrawn from these programmes and so the mosquito eradication programme got side-tracked and what has happened over time is that the mosquito has become literally entrenched in the Caribbean," she said.

Economic problems confronting the problems have stemmed from mismanagement compounded by reduced prices for major exports like oil, rice, sugar and bauxite. Non-oil producing countries have also been forced over the years to divert funds to cater for a spiral in world oil prices.

Environment focus

Greening Barbados will host a Green Expo from March 30 to April 1, 2001 at Queen's Park. It aims to highlight the services and products on the island that support the protection of the environment. The three-day event is being coordinated by the Nation Publishing Co. Limited and Premier Events Services Inc.

Spotlight on land use

A DISCUSSION will be held tomorrow on land use in Barbados at 7:30 p.m. at Treading Lightly. Call 425-0073 for directions.