In our edition of July 8thWe indicated that cell number 10 of the Grandes Cayes landfill, where household waste from Saint-Martin has been buried since January 2025, would reach its maximum capacity July 10. The Collectivity assured at the time that a “secure” temporary storage area would take over while awaiting the extension work on the cell. A week later, this solution is still not operational..
Since July 10th, the landfill cell has been full. On July 11th and 12th, the non-hazardous waste storage facility (ISDND) is remained closedinterrupting household waste collection. Since the Collection resumes on July 13thThe trucks are trying to make up for lost time, but not without difficulty, given the amount of waste accumulated in all the neighborhoods.
An administrative delay is at the root of the situation.
Located within the site, the area where the waste is currently stored “is neither protected nor covered,” explains Maxime Arnal of Verde SXM. The landfill operator doesn't hide his embarrassment: “It's a disgrace. We've reached an emergency situation because things weren't done on time, even though there was plenty of time to do them.”
According to Verde SXM, the problem stemmed from the delay in transmitting the "notification" to the prefecture, a administrative procedure necessary to obtain authorization to use the temporary storage area. A meeting between the local authority, the prefecture and the operator had nevertheless been organized on June 16 in order to “precisely anticipate the period between July 10 and the end of the works”, recalls Maxime Arnal.
Laurent Guillaume, director of the Environment and Ecological Transition department of the Collectivity, confirms that this document has not been transmitted to the prefecture on July 15thFaced with the accumulation of waste, the COM nevertheless chose to resume collection“We had to respond to a health crisis,” he explained, with a priority on household wasteWhile acknowledging that the space currently used for waste storage is not compliant with regulations, the collection of green waste, bulky items, and recycling bins is consequently significantly slowed, a situation that results in a accumulation of deposits in several neighborhoods.
Authorization issued within the week?
According to Laurent Guillaume, Verde SXM refuses to use the "secure" transitional zone without the prior agreement of the Prefecture. This position is acknowledged by the operator, who maintains that he cannot store waste there without a prefectural order.
This situation is occurring in the middle of cyclone season. Although the environmental risk from leachate, exacerbated by the rains, remains limited, the waste is currently stored in the open air, without cover, awaiting relocation. According to Laurent Guillaume and Maxime Arnal, the Prefecture's approval could come in the next few days. _DR
The solution also lies in our daily actions.
Pending the expansion (meta-cellar) of the Grandes Cayes ecosite, of which the The first tranche is expected in March 2027Everyone can help limit the saturation of facilities while respecting sorting and deposit instructions.
A simple gesture that is part of the solution.
Household waste must be placed in closed bags and deposited in the designated collection points, with collection taking place daily from 18 pm to 23 pm. Packaging, paper, cardboard, plastics, and glass must be sorted and placed in the appropriate containers. Bulky waste compartments are reserved for furniture, mattresses, household appliances, and other large items. However, it is forbidden to deposit rubble, construction waste, paints, oils, batteries, electrical equipment, or any other hazardous waste in these compartments.
Individuals have free access to the Galisbay waste disposal site (9 rue du Port), open Monday to Friday from 7am to 17pm and Saturday from 7am to 12pm. They can drop off green waste, bulky items, recyclables (wood, metal, glass, cardboard), rubble, electrical appliances, oils, paints, batteries or large cardboard boxes.
Open Monday to Friday (6 a.m.–16 p.m.) and Saturday (6 a.m.–12 p.m.), the Grandes Cayes eco-site is reserved for professionals (businesses, tradespeople, merchants), who are legally responsible for the disposal of their waste. Rubble, tiles, used air conditioners, and paint constantly overflow from the shelters and garbage bins.
Illegal dumping is prohibited and punishable by law.
To report an incident: 0590 87 50 04. _Vx
