The Minister of Environment, Robert Bouvier, confirmed the important investment of the National Government and the Municipality of Cerro Largo in the framework of the National Waste Policy, which seeks to eliminate open -air landfills and improve waste management.
During the signing of the agreement, the minister stressed that the contribution of the central government exceeds $ 800,000, while the total waste management plan in Cerro Largo will be around 4.5 million dollars.
“The closure of open -pit dumps is a key step. We cannot ask the population to classify waste if the final destination is not insured. This effort will guarantee adequate treatment and allow to value waste, in addition to socially include those who today work in informal conditions in landfills ”, The Secretary of State affirmed.
The agreement provides for the closure of the Pedrera and Obrero Branco landfills, with the creation of classification and transfer plants. The minister stressed that the implementation will be progressive, ensuring that the landfills will not be closed without a viable alternative.
The mayor of Cerro Largo also highlighted the positive impact of the project, noting that today a new stage begins in the environmental management of the department.
The minister said that this act is a continuity of firms of agreements with departmental governments “in something that for us is strategic, which is the national waste policy,” he said.
I have to very much thank the municipal governments, and in this case the Mayor Yurramendi for the disposition they have had to be receptive to this national policy ”.
Remembered how this is reached
“The government in this period created the Ministry of Environment, therefore, what it put is environmental policies at the same level of other public policies and undoubtedly, it was a very important sign, and a before and after,” Bouvier argued.
“With regard to waste policies, without a doubt, and this happens throughout the country, open sky landfills are a bit the shame of all parliamentary governments. It is what we do not want to show, is the back of the house, it seems to me that it was this government, precisely with the empowerment of the Ministry of Environment, which had to put a little rattle to the cat on this issue, and did so ” .
Amounts
17 million dollars were allocated by the central government to help all departments in the open landfill closing policy. “I think it is very important from the point of view of national policy, but extremely important at the level of departmental policies. The fact of starting to travel an adequate waste management policy is what the world is demanding, what citizens will begin to demand in a short time and we have to start with the landfills. ”
The Secretary of Environment said that “We are making an effort, in this case we will contribute more than $ 800,000, which is a very important figure, but no less important is the support that the Intendance will make, because the entire plan goes more or less about 4 Millions and a half, it seems to me something like that, 4 and a half million of D is all that is going to be allocated is a very important effort that the government will do to Cerro Largo in the implementation of this policy, then back it seems to me that Today is a very special day today is a before and after in what has to do with the department’s waste policy, and in that I obviously want to thank the mayor that has put the effort, the effort, the understanding that has and of course, the Environment Directorate and all who have worked, that we have worked very well, we will say that we have worked in accordance with our technicians. ”
The minister said that “Technicians of each intention, and that is what has allowed us to get to this day and that the truth is very happy about what we are signing today, (yesterday).
“The agreement provides for several stages. All departments have a different casuistry. In the case of Cerro Largo, the closures are the landfills, both the Pedrera and Río Branco, if I am not mistaken, they are both, they will close. There will be a new final position site, in other departments what it does is condition or look for an adequate measure.
