THE Sydney Pagon Agricultural School in Elim, St Elizabeth has been spared the hefty million-dollar fine under the National Solid Waste Management Act for illegally dumping its waste on properties located near to its tutorial farms in the rural parish.

Regional operations manager at Southern Parks and Markets (SPM) Glenroy Soltau told the Observer yesterday that although the institution was found by the SPM to be guilty of illegal dumping, no charges will be laid against them.

“We are not eager to charge people,” Soltau said, pointing out that it would be difficult to cast blame solely on the school since other entities and individuals also disposed of their waste at the unauthorised site. He said, however, that the school and residents should use this as a warning.

“In this case let it be a warning to you and to others, but once we erect the no dumping signs, it will be a zero tolerance approach,” the SPM representative said.

Allegations of the school’s solid waste disposal practices came to the fore just over a week ago when this newspaper came across the dump a few short metres from the Grass River, a factor which had residents in the area citing environmental and health hazards. SPM has since conducted investigations and have decided that rather than impose the fines stipulated by law, the agency – which covers Manchester and St Elizabeth – will clean up the garbage that is already in the dump and implement some corrective measures to ensure that the illegal disposal of solid waste in the area does not recur.

“.We will be putting in preventive measures such as the erection of no-dumping signs and putting in garbage receptacles,” Soltau said. “We have also made arrangements to include the school on our collection schedule,” he added.