Currently all municipal solid waste that is collected in and around Punta Gorda (PG) in southern Belize (near the Mayan Mountain Marine Corridor (MMMC) -- a high priority conservation action site) is being dumped at an open dump that is located inside the forest and near the Rio Grande. This part of the country is one with the highest rainfalls which causes strong effluents into the groundwater and consequently into the Rio Grande that is connected to the sea and reefs.
The recent plan of the Belizean Solid Waste Authority (SWA) is to relocate and re-plan the actual dumpsite further away from sensitive ecosystems like the Rio Grande and create a controlled landfill for future use. This research hopes to provide the necessary information that is needed for planning and maintenance.
