Environmental Emergency
Massive piles of debris from destroyed and damaged homes and buildings have created an environmental emergency in the U.S.V.I. Landfills have reached maximum capacity, and mounds of debris reaching over 20 feet high have filled athletic fields throughout St. Thomas and St. John. Recycling was virtually non-existent in the U.S.V.I. prior to the hurricanes, but the need for immediate environmental solutions has become even more critical. As of my departure in the middle of April, a strategy for debris removal had yet to be determined. Besides obvious environmental contamination, residents fear that as the next hurricane season approaches, debris consisting of items like corrugated sheet metal will become dangerous projectiles. The situation has evolved from an environmental hazard into physical threat to safety as well.
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