Land Pollution in Port of Spain

Photo 5 shows improper disposal of garbage in George Street, Port of Spain.

Land Pollution

Land pollution remains an important issue in the city of Port of Spain as depicted by the photograph above. Many streets on the eastern side of Port of Spain are generally filled with improper disposal of garbage by residents (East Port of Spain Development Company Limited 2013). The ramifications of such acts are detrimental to the city’s sustainability. For instance, there is the possibility of many health diseases arising with respect to such improper disposal of trash.  Epidemic situations are common in cities due to the high concentration of people which make it easier for communicable diseases such as cholera, typhoid, viral infections, hepatitis and others to spread. Also, the city is likely to lose financial profits since tourists may see the city as unappealing to reside within because of the high level of insanitation. In addition, private investors could refrain from investing in business activities in such areas since consumers may find the environment unsuitable for engaging in shopping, especially among high-income customers.  According to Hall and Barrett (2012, 309), the generation of poverty in cities is inextricably associated with the generation of environmental degradation. This is probably the reason why so many garbage adorn the streets on the east of Port of Spain since high levels of poverty is an issue in the area (East Port of Spain Development Company Limited 2013).

Solving the issue of improper disposal of garbage in Port of Spain would require complete participation from the community residents and local state officials. The community must be educated on the importance of disposing garbage in order to prevent health risks within the city. The local state officials must ensure that such areas are cleaned daily by their respective environmental authority corporations. Also, environmental laws should be enforced within the city at a higher level in order to deter people from committing such insensible acts.

References

East Port of Spain Development Company Limited. 2013. "Summary of Development Issues." Accessed March 15, 2013. http://eposdctt.com/default.asp?id=54.

Hall, Tim, and Heather Barrett. 2012. Urban Geography 4^th edition. London and New York: Routledge.