Following the recent work stoppage by waste haulers and movers, Government has announced changes to its the controversial tipping fee, which was implemented on May 4.
Instead of the initial $25 per tonne plus VAT, Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler has announced that the tipping fee is to levied at $40 per load for all categories of waste, including municipal solid waste, rock, soil, construction and demolition waste, green waste and coconuts.
Liquid waste delivered to the Sustainable Barbados Recycling Centre at Vaucluse, St Thomas will also charged at $40 per truckload.
However, in addition to being registered and licensed by the Sanitation Service Authority, waste haulers will now be required to pay an annual licence fee, as well as produce a tax clearance certificate from the Barbados Revenue Authority.
Minister of Finance Chris Sinckler
“Based on existing projected daily load factors, it is estimated that the new tipping fee would yield around four million dollars per year for the SSA, which on the appropriate amendment of its Act, will be allowed to retain those resources,” Sinckler announced.
In defence of the move, Sinckler said the fee, which was represented in the Sanitation Service Authority Act Sanitation Service Authority (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations (1996), was significantly lower than that charged in other jurisdictions.
He said, the average rate in Canada varied from an average low in Manitoba of 34 Canadian dollars per tonne to as high as $130 Canadian per tonne in Quebec. He also pointed out that the rates per tonne, converted to US dollars for the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, were $55.66 and $89.46 per tonne respectively.
The Minister also assured that having spoken to the owners of SBRC, they were prepared to sit with officials of the SSA, the ministries of Finance and Economic Affairs and the Environment, and other relevant stakeholders, to work on a plan to reduce the costs associated with the treatment of the waste sent to the facility.
He said these consultation sessions would be initiated immediately following this week’s budget exercise.