Ordot residents afraid of another dump

by Mindy Aguon

Guam - Ordot residents aren't too sure about Pacific Unlimited's plans to operate a green waste and wood waste shredding and composting facility. Dozens turned out to last night's Guam Land Use Commission public hearing expressing concerns that the facility would create another dump in the village. 

Resident Dr. Marilyn Salas Walter said the company must have environmental management and provide more education to the residents, saying, "It can be another landfill really if that compost doesn't have any oxygen running through it, it can be detrimental. It can be unsanitary, we can have rodents again. We can have pesticides bugs coming in there and bothering all the residents who have their little farm."

Pacific Unlimited representatives said the facility would serve multiple purposes by handling green waste produced by local residents and turning it into a productive material that our organic farmers can use.  They also stressed that the facility would only be temporary as the property eventually will be used to build homes.

"Our intention," said a company rep, "is to stop as soon as the dump is capped and closed and turned into a park because then it makes sense for us to build homes. Right now it doesn't make sense for us to build homes until the dump is completely done it's under a sea of green grass, there's a park there that makes it sensible for us to stop."

Pacific Unlimited is seeking a zone variance from the GLUC to turn the property across from the Ordot Dump into a light industrial zone. If given approval, they will still need to obtain the necessary permits to open the facility.