Public works asks $5 million to process green waste and construction debris

Department of Public Works told the committee it needs an estimated $5 million to clear and process green-waste and construction debris collected at temporary sites across the island.

"It would be clearing and reprocessing all the green waste that we've collected at Oka, at Tidjane, and throughout the island at various mayor's offices," DPW Director Areola said, describing plans to hire a private company to pick up and process material so it can be reused for mulch or soil. Areola said construction debris was co-collected at some sites and must be separated before processing.

Senators asked what would happen if the funds are not approved; Areola warned that leaving the sites open risks EPA fines and public-safety issues including fire hazards and invasive pests. DPW said it used market quotes and past storm experience to estimate cubic-yard processing costs and that final vendor quotes would follow once sites were closed and piles measured.

The committee discussed using existing Sinlaku allocations and whether emergency procurement rules permit faster contracting. Budget staff said the $5 million estimate is a projection based on collected volumes and vendor quotes; DPW committed to provide final quotations when available.