The Department of Waste Management has stepped up its effort to rid the Virgin Islands of derelict vehicles as the year draws to a close.

Director of the Department of Waste Management Mr. Marcus Solomon said the department managed to tag and successfully move over seven hundred derelict vehicles from the Virgin Islands.  The derelicts were taken from both Tortola and Virgin Gorda.

Mr. Solomon said, “We have also removed scrap metals as well as bulk waste such as refrigerators, stoves, washing machines and BVI Electricity Corporation scrap metals. So, those are the materials we are currently processing to export out of the country. We just want to thank members of the public for helping us identify the scrap metals and derelict vehicles that needed to be removed so that we can keep the Territory clean.”

The clearance project is being undertaken by local company KNJ General Maintenance. Operations began on December 11 in Virgin Gorda before moving to Tortola on December 13.

Earlier this year, KNJ General Maintenance processed and removed over two thousand tons of derelict vehicles and other scrap metals from the Virgin Islands. The scrap metal was exported to Colombia where it was used for recycling purposes.

Mr. Solomon said he hopes the project will be completed in the coming days.

“We want to finish the operation and bring back the storage area to a pristine state again. So, all the derelict vehicles will be on the barge and those items that are not for the barge will be moved to our Pockwood Pond site,” the Director of the Department of Waste Management said.

The Ministry of Health and Social Development through the Department of Waste Management is committed to transforming and implementing innovative ideas and strategies to manage waste in the Virgin Islands.