December 26, 2017
Hagåtña – An initiative to combat invasive species, particularly coconut rhino beetles and little fire ants, continues today in Hagåtña.
Governor Eddie Baza Calvo’s Invasive Species Task Force, which is led by Department of Agriculture with the support of the Guam Environmental Protection Agency, and other government agencies as well as the Mayors Council of Guam, aims to eradicate the CRB and LFA using the air curtain burner.
The air curtain burner, which was contracted with Pacific Unlimited, has been burning green waste since the latter part of October. The main site of the green waste burning is at Pacific Unlimited in Yigo. In cases where fire ants or other invasive species are present, a mobile curtain burner will be brought to the site.
“We found fire ants and rhino beetle larvae in the pile, and if we were to move the pile, we run the risk of spreading the infestation so we brought the burner to Hagåtña where the pile is,” said Department of Agriculture Director Matt Sablan.
Sablan notes that some of the green waste in Hagåtña include trees infested with the rhino beetles that Department of Agriculture and Department of Parks and Recreation cut down around the island’s capital city. Once infested, the trees are weakened and pose a safety hazard.
As of Nov. 29, the main Yigo facility has processed 870 cubic yards of green waste. Most recently in Piti, an additional 700 cubic yards of green waste was also processed. And an estimate of 600 cubic yards of green waste is expected to be processed in Hagatna as well.
The next site will be determined by Agriculture officials in consultation with mayors.
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