Previous Story
Firm offers aid in solving junk car problems
|
Posted on Sep 28 2005
A local recycling firm wants to help the Saipan Mayor’s Office solve the problem of junk cars in the CNMI.
Basula Produkto is offering the local government a discounted rate for receiving abandoned or junk vehicles, which continue to be an eyesore to the public.
Company president Eric Cruz said his firm is offering $65 per vehicle as compared to $100 per vehicle that is being charged by current vendor, Samkor.
Cruz said he could also offer the service for free on some conditions. He said the vehicles could be picked up for free as long as there aren’t many metallic materials in the junk vehicles.
“The only reason why we charge is because of disposal,” he said.
It was reported that there are about 15,000 abandoned vehicles in several sites in the CNMI, which could pose a health and environmental hazard, according to a Department of Public Works Division of Solid Waste Management program manager Robert Jordan.
He said the junk cars are not only eyesores but might also contain oil and other harmful chemicals and potential pollutants that could leak and endanger the environment. He added that the number of abandoned cars has been increasing throughout the years.
Cruz said that all the Saipan Mayor’s Office has to do is to get an account with them for a possible partnership in protecting the environment.
“So we would avoid statements that boom trucks failed in picking up those junk cars,” he said, adding that his firm would pick them up for the mayor’s office.
Basula Produkto is a half-a-million-dollar investment that opened a bigger and new recycling office site in April at the MAEDA/ERICCO office in Tanapag.
Cruz earlier said he would also be expanding and opening similar but remote recycling sites on Rota and Tinian. He said he would be opening operations beginning Nov. 2 on both islands.
A joint venture between ERICCO Enterprises and MAEDA Pacific Corp., Basula Produkto aims to provide the CNMI a recycling site run by a local company.
