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Hazardous Waste Management Emergency Response Solid Waste Management Waste Reduction & Recycling Toxic Waste Management Division of Environmental Quality Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands CONTACT 670-664-8500 670-433-3169 670-532-3102 CONTACT Saipan: Tinian: Rota: Overview DEQ’s Toxic Waste Management branch protects public health and the environment through the enforcement and ongoing inspections of hazardous waste, solid waste, littering, emergency response and waste reduction and recycling. Address: Email: Website: P O Box 501304 Saipan, MP 96950 environment@deq.gov.mp www.deq.gov.mp Waste Reduction & Recycling Minimize waste by recycling. Recycling is the collecting, processing, and remanufacturing used materials such as paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic into products that are then sold as new. Other ways to prevent certain materials from entering the waste stream, include source reduction and composting. Source Reduction refers to changing the way products are designed, manufactured, or used to reduce the amount or toxicity of what gets thrown away. Composting is the decomposing organic materials such as food scraps and yard waste. At home, recycling, source reduction and composting can reduce your waste stream by more than half. This branch is responsible for regulating businesses that • engage or manage hazardous waste facilities (e.g. auto/heavy equipment shops, drying cleaning shops, print/photo shops, hospitals/ clinics, quarries hotels/motels, etc.) as well as solid waste facilities (e.g. Marpi Sanitary Landfill, Refuse Transfer Station, recycling centers, trash hauling/collection), • issue citations to litter violators, • respond to emergencies (natural or man-made disaster, weapons of mass destruction) and • provide education on waste reduction and promote recycling in our community. Hazardous Waste Management Emergency Response DEQ enforcement officers frequently encounter open dumps in the CNMI. Open dumps are areas in which a collection of garbage is ‘dumped.’ Open dumps are illegal and are susceptible to burning when exposed to elements, vectors or scavengers. Open dumps on private or public lands may result in the issuance of an Administrative Order and may be assessed a civil penalty of a maximum of $25,000 per violation. DEQ’s Solid Waste Management Officers inspect private trash haulers, recycling centers, the Lower Base Transfer Station, and the Marpi Landfill on a regular basis to ensure compliance with solid waste regulations. 1. Reduce by purchasing only the amount you need. 2. Reuse the products by donating unused portions to friends or organizations. 3. Recycle by taking products such as used motor oil, batteries, and latex paint to a recycling center. If any products cannot be reused, recycled, or properly disposed of in your trash, store them safely in their original containers away from food, pets, and children, then take them to the refuse transfer facility in Lower Base. Handling Hazardous Wastes Littering is the act of “throwing, dropping, placing, depositing, sweeping, discarding or otherwise disposing of any litter on land or water, in other than appropriate storage containers or areas designated for such purpose.” A person found guilty of littering (improper garbage disposal) may be fined up to $500! Litterbugs may also be ordered to remove the litter, or pay for its removal out of their own pockets. Solid waste is the trash or garbage that was not properly disposed. Wastes include everyday discarded items such as office paper, packaging material, food scraps, clothing, furniture, yard waste, newspapers, appliances, and bottles. Materials that require disposal should be taken to the Marpi Sanitary Landfill or the Puerto Rico Transfer Station. A landfill is an area that is engineered to contain waste, with safeguards such as liners to ensure that groundwater is not contaminated. Litter Control & Solid Waste Management Example of litter found on a roadway. Photo of liners (environmental safeguards) at the Marpi Sanitary Landfill. Example of open dump on public land. Example of how NOT to store used household chemicals. Hazardous waste is a waste with properties that make it dangerous or potentially harmful to human health or the environment. Hazardous wastes can be liquids, solids, contained gases, or sludges. They can be the by-products of manufacturing processes or simply discarded commercial products, such as cleaners, solvents, batteries, oil, and pesticides. Hazardous wastes must be stored in original containers, away from the reach of children and away from foods. Household hazardous waste should never be thrown into the trash, washed down the drain, or poured onto the ground. Resi- dents may bring their wastes to the Re- fuse Transfer Station in Lower Base. Businesses are encouraged to utilize the services of environmental agencies such as certified hazardous waste disposal companies. The Emergency Response Team is trained and equipped to effectively respond to natural and human-caused disasters such as: • Typhoons • Earthquakes • Chemical and Oil Spills • Terrorist attacks The team is comprised of Emergency Management, Dept. of Public Safety, Coastal Resources Management, Dept. of Public Works, Office of the Mayor, and the Commonwealth Ports Authority - AARF. Photo of the CNMI UXO Team. Improper handling or disposal of hazardous chemicals can result in serious accidents.
