The French NGO Robin des Bois has been working on post-disaster waste since 1989. As part of a three-year project supported by the ANR (National Research Agency) and focused on the management of post-hurricane waste involving also three French universities, a Belgian university and the IFSTTAR *, Charlotte Nithart and Manon Lefebvre respectively director of campaigns and project manager within Robin des Bois explored the two parts of the islands of Saint-Martin for 15 days between late May and early June. Their first report, entitled “Irma's waste” has just been published on the association's website.
Nine months after Hurricane Irma, Charlotte Nithart and Manon Lefebvre discovered "a dislocated island, hectares of scattered tin and dilapidated pools, wrecks of boats and cars by the thousands, scattered waste and residues of combustion ”.
After in-depth documentary research, a series of interviews and their field study, they deliver a report of around a hundred pages, illustrated with numerous photos, retracing in particular the history of the collection and treatment of post-Irma waste, their typology and quantity. They also tackle the problem of waste outside the sector (illegal dumping for example) and the health and environmental problems generated.
Ultimately, the goal of the collective approach of Robin des Bois, researchers and academics is to "promote after cyclonic hazards not a return to normalcy but rather a substantial improvement in the methods of prevention, sorting and waste management "
This provisional balance of post-Irma waste will be supplemented by a second report in a year and structured recommendations.
(More details on www.soualigapost.com)
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