The Ministry of Public Housing, Spatial Planning, Environment and Infrastructure (VROMI) is pleased to announce that the team assigned to operate the newly installed weighbridge at the landfill has successfully completed their training. The sessions were conducted in close collaboration with the National Recovery Program Bureau (NRPB) as part of continued efforts to modernize Sint Maarten’s waste management system.
This week, operational staff received hands-on instruction on both the technical and software components of the weighbridge system. The training ensured that operators are fully equipped to manage the scale, accurately document waste entering the landfill, and maintain the system safely and efficiently. Key areas covered included system calibration, data logging, reporting functions, and safety protocols.
The weighbridge, installed under the Emergency Debris Management Program (EDMP), funded by the Trust Fund, represents a major step forward in improving data-driven waste management. With trained personnel now in place, the Ministry is preparing to activate a more structured and transparent approach to tracking waste volumes. This supports long-term goals such as informed decision-making, improved landfill monitoring, and the eventual implementation of waste-related fees to sustainably finance the sector.
Minister of VROMI Patrice Gumbs thanked the operators, VROMI staff, the NRPB team, and contractors AVTO and Elicom for their ongoing commitment. “This training is an important milestone. Ensuring our staff are confident and capable in operating the weighbridge moves us closer to a modern, accountable waste management system. These advancements are necessary if we want to achieve the clean and sustainable future we envision for Sint Maarten,” Minister Gumbs stated. He reiterated the EDMP message: “It will take all of us.”
VROMI and NRPB will continue to work together as the EDMP progresses with its mission to rehabilitate the current landfill and improve waste management infrastructure for the long term.
