Verde SXM suspends waste acceptance at Grandes Cayes

Verde SXM director Maxime Arnal said the company had warned the Collectivité and the prefecture in letters sent in January and May, when its contract ended. He said a legal arrangement had allowed waste reception to continue through the end of September.

Arnal said the Collectivité issued a new tender for household recyclable packaging about six weeks ago. Verde SXM does not plan to bid, he said, citing payment delays by the Collectivité and tender conditions that it says would not support the investments needed over the next four years. Tenders for green waste and sludge have not been issued, Arnal said.

Gérald Gumbs, a member of a waste-transport and construction companies’ group, said some firms received notice only on Friday 25 September and had little time to inform customers or empty skips. He warned that waste could accumulate because the affected materials cannot be treated elsewhere.

The Collectivité said it is preparing a new tender covering green waste, sanitation products and recyclable waste. It said future providers will need to offer a composting facility meeting regulatory requirements, with operation envisaged in the second half of 2027.