Marl dumping in Falmouth raises flooding fears for Trelawny town

Garth Wilkinson, councillor for the Falmouth Division in Trelawny, has raised alarm over dumping in parts of Falmouth, saying the practice is interfering with drainage and causing environmental concerns in the town.

Wilkinson said substantial quantities of marl have been left in multiple locations. “The town is blanketed by sheets of marl. Both sides of Market Street are being dumped on. Foreshore Road, sections of the North Coast Highway and the exit point of the Dragline are blocked off,” he said.

He said the material is being placed in spaces that usually help move excess water away during heavy showers and when the Martha Brae River rises. “All the spaces where excess water from rainfall and when the Martha Brae is in spate are being blocked with marl, preventing the water from running into the sea,” Wilkinson added.

The councillor also identified Buller Corner as the site of the latest dumping, and said the municipal authorities had issued a stop order in relation to the activity.

Ecologist Roland Haye has also warned that the dumping could increase the danger of flooding in Falmouth. “Falmouth is shaping up to be a big pond. Just recently, post-Melissa, sections of Market Street were flooded for weeks,” Haye said.