Both the Municipality of Qeqertalik and the waste company ESANI A/S acknowledge that there are still major challenges with waste management in cities and settlements. 

According to the waste company ESANI’s presentation video, they will make an effort to keep Greenland clean and green. Back in 2021, ESANI’s director Frank Rasmussen even said that he believed that Greenland’s waste management would become a tourist attraction for many, and that he saw a bright future for our environment.

According to the waste company

But even though it has been six years since the joint municipal waste company was formed, there is still not much tourist attraction or green environment above many of the landfills, including in Qeqertarsuaq. Waste is floating around The combustible waste, which is wrapped in plastic and piled up for later collection and shipment to the incineration plant in Sisimiut, is tipping over and the waste is floating out because birds and other animals have made large holes in them.

According to the waste company ESANI’s presentation video, they will make an effort to keep Greenland clean and green. Back in 2021, ESANI’s director Frank Rasmussen even said that he believed that Greenland’s waste management would become a tourist attraction for many, and that he saw a bright future for our environment.

According to the waste companyAnnouncement

But even though it has been six years since the joint municipal waste company was formed, there is still not much tourist attraction or green environment above many of the landfills, including in Qeqertarsuaq. Waste is floating around The combustible waste, which is wrapped in plastic and piled up for later collection and shipment to the incineration plant in Sisimiut, is tipping over and the waste is floating out because birds and other animals have made large holes in them.

Therefore, ESANI A/S and the Municipality of Qeqertalik now recognize that they still have major challenges with waste management.

The municipality’s responsibility According to Frank Rasmussen, it is the municipality’s responsibility to store the waste, which is wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, in a safe manner until it is collected and sent to the incineration plant in Sisimiut.

– It is a question of how to handle the waste that is packed and stacked for later collection. We are aware that holes are made in the packed waste and it spills out. It is often birds that make the holes, but we know that some municipalities are inventing measures to protect the packages. For example, attempts have been made to pull big bags over the packed waste in some places, so that it lasts better, he says.

The incineration plant in Sisimiut, where all waste from cities and settlements, except Nuuk, is sent, is about to become fully operational, which is why the ESANI director expects that there will be better frequency in terms of collection arrangements.

Isproblemer 

Frank Rasmussen states that there are no rules for how long waste can remain uncollected in towns and villages, and also points out that waste collection is sometimes challenged by the ice.

– In winter, it can take up to six months before the waste is collected. For example, we tried to get to Qeqertarsuaq to collect the waste with our bulk ship North Viking during the winter, but had to give up because of the ice, which is why we had to stay in Aasiaat for a longer time. This is precisely why the packed waste was in Qeqertarsuaq longer than expected. We must assume that the waste that is in Qeqertarsuaq now was packed in late autumn last year and during the winter this year, says Frank Rasmussen.

ESANI is currently emptying Kangaatsiaq and the surrounding settlements of waste, and the ship is expected to arrive in Qeqertarsuaq at the end of this week.

Incineration plant worth half a billion 

The two new incineration plants in Nuuk and Sisimiut cost 250 million kroner each, and it is the five municipalities that are co-owners of ESANI A/S and the Self-Government that have financed the two plants in the form of deposits and loans – however, most of the funds come from various credit institutions and banks, according to Frank Rasmussen.

– It is clear that the money must be repaid at some point. That is why each municipality pays an amount to ESANI A/S in the form of the operating agreement, he says.

In addition, the waste company has made a district heating agreement with Nukissiorfiit worth 600 million kroner over 30 years.

– We are starting to get income by selling heat from the two plants, but the income must also go towards operating the plants, says the director.

The municipalities’ expenses for ESANI A/S are calculated based on population. For example, the Municipality of Qeqertalik pays an annual amount of 3.5 million kroner to ESANI.

Familiar with the problem 

Mayor of the Municipality of Qeqertalik, Simigaq Heilmann, Demokraatit, emphasizes that the municipality is aware of the challenges that have arisen with regard to waste management.

– It is unfortunately true that packaged waste continues to pollute, as birds and other animals make holes in it, and this is due, among other things, to a lack of supervision and measures to prevent this from happening. But it is also because we still lack the tools to be used for proper waste management. Therefore, the new political leadership in the municipality will work to ensure that the process for handling waste is revised and that the necessary tools for waste management are acquired, she says.

According to the mayor, they are working hard to create better conditions at the landfills, and they will therefore seek permission for open burning in the near future.

– Funds of 3 million kroner have been allocated through the Environmental Fund, which will be used, among other things, for better waste management and the establishment of three new reception stations in the Municipality of Qeqertalik, says Simigaq Heilmann.

The mayor also points out that the Municipality of Qeqertalik will engage in dialogue with the municipal waste company with a view to finding solutions for handling the various types of waste, including metal waste, which is not sent to the incineration plant in Sisimiut.

Was worse over time 

The waste problem in the Municipality of Qeqertalik has become worse after the municipality became part of the joint municipal waste company ESANI A/S, says Franz Lundblad, Siumut, who is a member of the municipal council in the Municipality of Qeqertalik.

– It is time for the political leadership in the Municipality of Qeqertalik, which is in favor of strengthening cooperation with the waste company, to show character. The coalition consisting of Demokraatit, Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq is aware of the growing problem, but they have not done anything to solve this. We were told that from January 1, 2023, a bulk ship would come once a month to collect waste in cities and settlements, but despite the fact that two years have now passed, this goal has not yet been realized, he says.

Missed opportunity

Last year, the Government of Greenland opened up the possibility of applying for a permit for open burning of waste, but the application, which was made by the previous municipal council in Qeqertalik Municipality, has not been forwarded by the then political leadership in the municipality, according to Franz Lundblad.

– It is very regrettable that this opportunity, which could have helped reduce the waste problem, has been missed, he says.

The opposition party Siumut in the municipal council of Qeqertalik Municipality is in favor of the municipality withdrawing from the ESANI cooperation and that the cities get their own incineration plant.

According to the waste company ESANI’s presentation video, they will make an effort to keep Greenland clean and green. Back in 2021, ESANI’s director Frank Rasmussen even said that he believed that Greenland’s waste management would become a tourist attraction for many, and that he saw a bright future for our environment.

According to the waste company

But even though it has been six years since the joint municipal waste company was formed, there is still not much tourist attraction or green environment above many of the landfills, including in Qeqertarsuaq. Waste is floating around The combustible waste, which is wrapped in plastic and piled up for later collection and shipment to the incineration plant in Sisimiut, is tipping over and the waste is floating out because birds and other animals have made large holes in them.

According to the waste company ESANI’s presentation video, they will make an effort to keep Greenland clean and green. Back in 2021, ESANI’s director Frank Rasmussen even said that he believed that Greenland’s waste management would become a tourist attraction for many, and that he saw a bright future for our environment.

According to the waste companyAnnouncement

But even though it has been six years since the joint municipal waste company was formed, there is still not much tourist attraction or green environment above many of the landfills, including in Qeqertarsuaq. Waste is floating around The combustible waste, which is wrapped in plastic and piled up for later collection and shipment to the incineration plant in Sisimiut, is tipping over and the waste is floating out because birds and other animals have made large holes in them.

Therefore, ESANI A/S and the Municipality of Qeqertalik now recognize that they still have major challenges with waste management.

The municipality’s responsibility According to Frank Rasmussen, it is the municipality’s responsibility to store the waste, which is wrapped in a thin layer of plastic, in a safe manner until it is collected and sent to the incineration plant in Sisimiut.

– It is a question of how to handle the waste that is packed and stacked for later collection. We are aware that holes are made in the packed waste and it spills out. It is often birds that make the holes, but we know that some municipalities are inventing measures to protect the packages. For example, attempts have been made to pull big bags over the packed waste in some places, so that it lasts better, he says.

The incineration plant in Sisimiut, where all waste from cities and settlements, except Nuuk, is sent, is about to become fully operational, which is why the ESANI director expects that there will be better frequency in terms of collection arrangements.

Isproblemer 

Frank Rasmussen states that there are no rules for how long waste can remain uncollected in towns and villages, and also points out that waste collection is sometimes challenged by the ice.

– In winter, it can take up to six months before the waste is collected. For example, we tried to get to Qeqertarsuaq to collect the waste with our bulk ship North Viking during the winter, but had to give up because of the ice, which meant we had to stay in Aasiaat for a longer time. This is precisely why the packed waste was in Qeqertarsuaq longer than expected. We must assume that the waste that is in Qeqertarsuaq now was packed in late autumn last year and during the winter this year, says Frank Rasmussen.

ESANI is currently emptying Kangaatsiaq and the surrounding settlements of waste, and the ship is expected to arrive in Qeqertarsuaq at the end of this week.

Incineration plant worth half a billion 

The two new incineration plants in Nuuk and Sisimiut cost 250 million kroner each, and it is the five municipalities that are co-owners of ESANI A/S and the Self-Government that have financed the two plants in the form of deposits and loans – however, most of the funds come from various credit institutions and banks, according to Frank Rasmussen.

– It is clear that the money must be repaid at some point. That is why each municipality pays an amount to ESANI A/S in the form of the operating agreement, he says.

In addition, the waste company has made a district heating agreement with Nukissiorfiit worth 600 million kroner over 30 years.

– We are starting to get income by selling heat from the two plants, but the income must also go towards operating the plants, says the director.

The municipalities’ expenses for ESANI A/S are calculated based on population. For example, the Municipality of Qeqertalik pays an annual amount of 3.5 million kroner to ESANI.

Familiar with the problem 

Mayor of the Municipality of Qeqertalik, Simigaq Heilmann, Demokraatit, emphasizes that the municipality is aware of the challenges that have arisen with regard to waste management.

– It is unfortunately true that packaged waste continues to pollute, as birds and other animals make holes in it, and this is due, among other things, to a lack of supervision and measures to prevent this from happening. But it is also because we still lack the tools to be used for proper waste management. Therefore, the new political leadership in the municipality will work to ensure that the process for handling waste is revised and that the necessary tools for waste management are acquired, she says.

According to the mayor, they are working hard to create better conditions at the landfills, and they will therefore seek permission for open burning in the near future.

– Funds of 3 million kroner have been allocated through the Environmental Fund, which will be used, among other things, for better waste management and the establishment of three new reception stations in the Municipality of Qeqertalik, says Simigaq Heilmann.

The mayor also points out that the Municipality of Qeqertalik will engage in dialogue with the municipal waste company with a view to finding solutions for handling the various types of waste, including metal waste, which is not sent to the incineration plant in Sisimiut.

Was worse over time 

The waste problem in the Municipality of Qeqertalik has become worse after the municipality became part of the joint municipal waste company ESANI A/S, says Franz Lundblad, Siumut, who is a member of the municipal council in the Municipality of Qeqertalik.

– It is time for the political leadership in the Municipality of Qeqertalik, which is in favor of strengthening cooperation with the waste company, to show character. The coalition consisting of Demokraatit, Inuit Ataqatigiit and Naleraq is aware of the growing problem, but they have not done anything to solve this. We were told that from January 1, 2023, a bulk ship would come once a month to collect waste in cities and settlements, but despite the fact that two years have now passed, this goal has not yet been realized, he says.

Missed opportunity

Last year, the Government of Greenland opened up the possibility of applying for a permit for open burning of waste, but the application, which was made by the previous municipal council in Qeqertalik Municipality, has not been forwarded by the then political leadership in the municipality, according to Franz Lundblad.

– It is very regrettable that this opportunity, which could have helped reduce the waste problem, has been missed, he says.

The opposition party Siumut in the municipal council of Qeqertalik Municipality is in favor of the municipality withdrawing from the ESANI cooperation and that the cities get their own incineration plant.