Hagåtña, Guam – Results from Guam’s latest Waste Composition Study (WCS) will be presented at the Bureau of Statistics and Plans 5th Assembly of Planners’ (BSP) Symposium at the Dusit Thani Guam Resort on February 20, 2020, at 2 p.m. The WCS data and results will be presented by the Zero Waste Guam Working Group during the Zero Waste track at the symposium themed “Creating a Clear Vision in a Changing Climate.” The WCS was done through a memorandum of understanding executed by BSP and the Guam Environmental Protection Agency (GEPA) and marks the first such study in over 35 years.
Representative samples collected in the WCS included waste sourced from illegal dump sites identified by GEPA, single-family and multi-family residences, and public and private entities from both civil and military communities. WCS data was derived from a field methodology which involved sorting over 120 individual waste samples (200 to 300 pounds each) into 28 different waste categories, including plastics, glass, metal, paper, organics, inorganics and electronics, as established under American Society for Testing and Materials methods. The results of this study will indicate how much of each waste category is available for diversion from the Layon Landfill.
“Global materials management and recycling policy shifts have led to the increasing inability of Guam to ship recyclables off-island. It is imperative that Guam’s leaders, policymakers and planners, with the support of nonprofits and the local business community, begin building systems for Zero Waste through circular economy strategies,” said Governor Lou Leon Guerrero.
“Zero Waste is a whole-system approach to resource management centered on reducing, reusing, and recycling. Zero Waste initiatives will extend the life of Layon Landfill, save taxpayer dollars, create opportunities for sustainable economic development and expand opportunities for green jobs,” said Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio.
For more information, visit http://zerowasteguam.eco or contact Ms. Conchita S.N. Taitano, Executive Director for the Zero Waste Working Group, at 671-300-4760 or email
conchita.taitano@epa.guam.gov.