Waste collection in Bonaire will be improved in the coming period with the arrival of four new garbage trucks for Selibon. The vehicles have been ordered and are expected to be delivered by the end of October 2026. The new trucks represent an important step toward the structural improvement of waste collection in Bonaire.
Commissioner Dennis Martinus stated: “With these four garbage trucks, we can continue to improve waste collection in Bonaire. In recent months, several steps have already been taken to stabilize the situation at Selibon. We continue to work on this together with Selibon, so that our residents can rely on adequate and dependable garbage collection.”
Emergency measures to stabilize the situation at Selibon
Back in February, two trucks were purchased to address collection capacity issues. Investments were also made in other rolling equipment, spare parts, and vehicle fleet maintenance support. The investment in the garbage trucks is part of a larger package of emergency measures introduced by the Executive Council in April as part of the administrative enforcement order (‘last onder bestuursdwang’) to stabilize the situation at Selibon and at the Lagun landfill. During implementation, the Executive Council made additional funds available where necessary.
In addition to the garbage trucks, investments were made in heavy machinery, including a wheel loader, a dump truck, a landfill compactor, and a crawler excavator. The wheel loader has already been delivered. The remaining machinery is expected to be delivered in October. The Public Entity Bonaire has also made funds available for cleaning up tire storage, implementing a new operational system at the landfill, and improving Selibon’s financial and operational standing.
Meanwhile, the results of these measures are already visible. Direct nuisances to the surrounding neighborhood—including fire hazards, pest infestations, and foul odors—have decreased.
The future of waste management in Bonaire
An investigation is currently underway to select the best location for a new multifunctional transshipment and sorting center. Now that most of the emergency measures are complete, focus is increasingly shifting toward structural and sustainable waste management for Bonaire’s future.