Waste Transfer Station Opens in Northern Ambergris Caye

The San Pedro Town Council (SPTC) has opened a small waste transfer station for residents in northern Ambergris Caye. Located near the North Sub-Police Station, approximately ten miles north of San Pedro Town, the facility currently accepts only household waste, including food scraps, paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other materials typically discarded from homes.
The initiative also included plans for a second transfer station near the Secret Beach junction, intended to serve nearby residents. However, this facility was vandalized during the construction phase. The SPTC is working to resolve the issue and hopes to reconstruct the site at a new, more secure location.
Councilor Marina Kay shared that the project had been in development for the past year. “We finally managed to get our garbage truck, which services the northern part of town, to reach all the way to where the transfer station is by the police substation,” she said. “The truck goes up there twice a week.”
Kay noted the facility addresses longstanding concerns from residents who previously had to transport their waste to the southern Solid Waste Transfer Station. Improper trash disposal had also become an issue in northern Ambergris Caye, prompting the council to enhance waste collection services. Kay expressed hope that the new facility will help mitigate these problems.
This expansion of garbage collection services aligns with the recent official extension of San Pedro’s town boundaries, which now encompass the entire island. As a result, the island’s administration is tasked with providing municipal services across all populated areas. Proper waste disposal is a key part of the SPTC’s broader mission to maintain a clean and sustainable community for residents and visitors alike.
The original Solid Waste Transfer Station, located on Marina Drive south of town, was inaugurated on July 3, 2015. It was part of a national initiative led by the Belize Solid Waste Management Authority and funded by the Inter-American Development Bank. Constructed between 2013 and 2015, it was one of four such facilities built in the country, alongside locations in Caye Caulker, Belize City, and the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena.
The primary goal of the southern transfer station was to address the widespread improper disposal of garbage in San Pedro. It provided a centralized location for collecting and sorting waste before it was transported by barge to the mainland. Before its establishment, much of the island’s waste was incinerated, a practice deemed harmful to the local marine environment.
The new northern facility, currently limited to household waste, is expected to aid in proper disposal efforts significantly. The SPTC urges all residents to adhere to regulations to maintain the station’s cleanliness and functionality.
Local authorities also reminded residents that illegal dumping and abandoned waste can lead to soil and water contamination, pose risks to wildlife, and create unsanitary conditions. They emphasized that maintaining a clean community is a shared responsibility, critical not only for the island’s appearance but also for preserving the delicate ecosystem that supports local life.