The Business of Garbage: Cayman’s Landfill Conundrum

By Stuart Wilson

The Caymanian Times toured the George Town Landfill on 28th May 2026 thanks to the Department of Environment (DEH) Management team, who took members of the press to the top of what is referred to as ‘Mount Trashmore’ by many in the Cayman Islands. The objective was to learn about the processes that go into making the island’s solid waste programme a success.

In addition to the landfill being the highest point in Grand Cayman, it’s perhaps the most noticeable landmark seen by many cruise ship passengers and airline travelers arriving in Grand Cayman. The landfill is, and has been, a hot-button topic of discussion in politics, as in wider community debate for decades.

What it is and what it’s not

However, the true story of the landfill is not known by many and the fact that it is a success despite what many may think, is often lost in the dialogue and public discourse.

Assistant Director of the Department of Environmental Health, Michael Haworth, explained that contrary to popular belief, the landfill is not a ‘dump’ by virtue of the fact that things are not placed there arbitrarily but rather are separated based on certain criteria.

“Household recyclables such as mixed paper card board, metal cans, batteries, oil, vegetation, scrap metals, and derelict vehicles are all being captured and are not going in the landfill.

“These account for two per cent of the total waste produced on the island that’s shipped off the island for recycling,” he remarked.

The landfill is the solution for most of the residual waste (the other 98 per cent), which Mr. Haworth said would stay there indefinitely and eventually be capped and turned into a green space. The long-term plan is to turn it into the largest green space in the Cayman Islands.

“It would be a place you would come and visit,” he said.

Some of the landfill has already been capped and is already ‘green’; a term used in environmental circles, which has evolved from being jargon to becoming part of the broader lexicon to promote ‘cleaner’ solutions.

Fires, Pollution and the Stench

Director Simms noted that the fires at the landfill are the result of gases and categorised these as fires that burn on the surface.

He explained that valves, which release those gases and pressure have been effective but accepted that fires still can happen.

“The fires that start underground are all from batteries, and we do not really have those kinds of fires anymore due to the separation of many of those items,” he noted.

Several fires over the past decade have been a concern for the public and the Government.

In relation to people saying that the dump is draining poisonous chemicals into the North Sound, both Mr Simms and Mr Haworth noted that all of the testing done in key drainage systems have shown that this is not the case.

There have also been concerts about the stench in the vicinity of the dump; however, officials explained that this is from the sewage treatment plant and not the landfill.

The Challenges Ahead

Ultimately, trash in Cayman will have to find another home once ‘capping’ becomes a reality.

Finding that location, Mr. Haworth said, is the challenge now confronting Cayman.

“The ‘regen’ scheme/waste-to-energy plan was terminated for the reasons given - such as affordability long term, and at some point we will have to either build another landfill somewhere else or find other solutions,” he remarked.

DEH Director Mr. Richard Simms noted that, “Waste to energy is not totally out the door despite the challenges.” He explained that there are only three possible solutions for managing waste: continue landfilling, export, or waste-to-energy.

“We have to look at which one of those is feasible for the government, and it all boils down to affordability.”

Current modeling developed by experts top off the landfill at a maximum height of around 130 feet.

However, both Mr Haworth and Mr Simms noted that studies based on population growth models have shown that at the current capacity and rate of disposal, the landfill should be able to serve the community until 2036, at the latest.

An interim site for the landfill is also being considered, which would allow time for more solutions to be devised.

Disposing of less trash is also an important factor in the ongoing conservation of space at the present site, and DEH officials noted that education was very important in that regard.

“Simple things like not using toweling paper to dry hands and using a rag instead can make a huge difference,” they explained.

Recycling can reduce the current burden on the landfill by 50 per cent and residents are being encouraged to do their part in that respect.

“Recycling starts at the supermarket and the types of products we buy,” noted DEH Marketing and Communications Officer, Ms Yolanda Morales Carvalho.

There are currently 200 to 300 hundred loads of varying solid waste deposited at the dump every day, That is then sorted with oils, scrap metal and derelict cars shipped overseas, while wood, trees and shrubs are turned into aggregate and repurposed for different uses.

Tires are also to be removed. Currently, a tendering process for this aspect is going through the government’s administrative process for the awarding of a contract for the removal of the tires at the landfill.

As one observer noted, managing the existing landfill and future solutions remains a balancing act that will require all hands on deck; a community effort and maybe some concessions along the way.