For hundreds of informal workers who earn their livelihoods scavenging, sorting, and processing waste at Trinidad and Tobago’s Beetham Landfill, the government’s plan to relocate the existing dump and convert the site into a dedicated recycling separation facility is not inherently unwelcome—so long as their right to first access to new formal jobs at the facility is guaranteed.
The proposal to shutter Beetham Landfill within two years and redevelop the site was recently made public by Dr. Joth Singh, Chief Executive Officer of Trinidad and Tobago’s Environmental Management Authority (EMA). Singh shared details of the ongoing planning process during closing remarks at a climate-focused event hosted last month at the British High Commissioner’s residence in Maraval. The event, titled “Pathways to Net Zero for the Waste, Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use Sectors,” also included a presentation on the current state of pollution across Trinidad and Tobago.
Singh explained that intergovernmental discussions on the future of the Beetham site are being led by Planning Minister Dr. Kennedy Swaratsingh. A top priority motivating the relocation is the need to cut methane emissions from the existing landfill, a critical step for Trinidad and Tobago to meet its national net-zero carbon targets. The leading proposal for waste diversion would see all new waste from Northern Trinidad redirected to a expanded sanitary landfill at Forres Park in Claxton Bay, which Singh noted is designed with modern protections to prevent leachate and toxic heavy metals from seeping into local water tables, reducing public exposure to carcinogenic contaminants.
Singh acknowledged that one of the largest barriers to moving forward with the Beetham transformation is addressing the socioeconomic impacts on the hundreds of people who currently rely on the landfill for income. EMA consultant Ryan Roper clarified in a subsequent interview with the *Sunday Express* that closing or redeveloping the site does not have to mean an end to local livelihoods; in fact, he argued, a redesigned waste management system can create new formal employment opportunities. Under the current plan, the converted Beetham separation facility would create full-time roles sorting plastics and other recyclable materials, while the new sanitary infrastructure at Forres Park would also generate additional jobs.
After the EMA’s announcement, a *Sunday Express* reporter visited the Beetham Landfill last month to speak with the informal workers, locally called hustlers, who depend on the site. Around a dozen men between the ages of 18 and 40, waiting near the entrance for work from passing waste trucks, shared their perspectives on the proposal. Most hailed from the nearby Beetham Gardens community, though one man explained he travels daily from Arima to work at the landfill.
The workers estimate that more than 400 people currently earn income through the landfill, including informal scavengers, casual laborers, and employees of private companies that operate on site. Many of the workers said they turn to the landfill for work because formal employment opportunities are extremely limited, and for some, past criminal records have closed off doors to other sectors.
The workers overwhelmingly said they would prefer formal permanent jobs with benefits including National Insurance Scheme contributions, sick leave, and paid vacation over the inconsistent, informal work they currently do. The only non-negotiable demand they raised is a binding guarantee that current Beetham workers will be the first hired for any new roles created by the site’s conversion. Several workers warned that if their demand for employment security is ignored, they are prepared to stage disruptive action that would block access to Port of Spain.
A Beetham Gardens resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said she is skeptical of the government’s plans, arguing that policymakers cannot be trusted to deliver on promises of mass employment for the current workforce. She questioned whether the government would actually be able to create enough full-time roles for all 400+ workers currently dependent on the landfill, noting that even teenagers as young as 16 and 17 work informally at the site. She also pointed out that some informal workers earn more than the typical salary for a 9-to-5 job, so a transition to formal work could actually reduce their incomes. While she acknowledged the public health risks posed by the landfill, she noted that pollution is a widespread problem across the country, not confined solely to Beetham.
Local scrap dealers in Beetham Gardens are divided on the proposal. Darren, a scrap dealer who spoke to the *Sunday Express*, acknowledged that closing the landfill would leave many people out of work, including informal hustlers, security firms, and employees of the state-owned Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company who operate on site. He noted that informal hustlers far outnumber formal workers at the site, so a closure without proper planning would be devastating for that community. Still, he supports the transition to a cleaner facility to reduce toxic smoke exposure for local residents, explaining that while most wind carries smoke out to sea away from residential areas, shifting winds can blow toxic fumes into Beetham Gardens and even central Port of Spain. Darren said he understands that the government needs to prioritize the country’s climate and public health goals, but he added that creating formal salaried roles for current workers would be a net positive for the high-unemployment community of Beetham Gardens.
Another local scrap dealer, Tyrese Williams, argued that residents cannot ultimately stop the government from moving forward with its planned changes to the landfill. Regardless of public protest, he said, the government will move forward with what it deems best for the country. Williams noted that he will personally adapt to whatever decision is made, but he acknowledged that the transition will create significant hardship for the large group of informal workers who currently rely on the Beetham Landfill for their daily incomes.