Chief Environmental Officer

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many aspects of our lives to a halt, but it certainly has not stifled the Department of the Environment’s (DOE) efforts in the long road to the restoration of the New River. Since the New River crisis came to light in mid-2019, the DOE has been continuously conducting water quality monitoring, monitoring industries and urban centers to ensure they are complying with the Environmental Laws of Belize and working in close collaboration with local authorities and the agricultural sector to implement actions to reduce runoff into the river. As it relates to compliance, 40 out of the 79 light industries in Orange Walk Town have improved their wastewater and greywater discharge from their facilities. The DOE has also ensured that ASR/BSI do their part by improving their wastewater treatment system and constructing cooling towers.