“Whether the size of the problem is 5,000, 10,000, or as some recent estimates, up to 18,000 junk vehicles, the problem is approaching the potential for a significant environmental problem on island,” said Barrett in an e-mail to the Variety.
“This effort will be good for everyone who lives here, does business on, or visits the island, so ideally I am looking for a way to make this a zero-cost situation for the owner,” he added.
The Saipan mayor’s spokesman, Tony A. Benavente, said there is no junk yard available on island since the lot earlier provided by the Department of Public Lands was taken back and designated for use by another agency.
Benavente said Saipan Local Law 6-6 mandates the Department of Public Works to provide a government scrap yard.
In removing junk vehicles, he said the mayor’s office is not charging any fee from private individuals, but they may charge a fee from businesses, like auto repair shops.
He added that the decade-old heavy equipment of the mayor’s office used to collect abandoned vehicles has already bogged down.
In an interview, DPW Solid Waste Management Director Steve Hiney said air-conditioning units and refrigerators are among the recyclable materials accepted by the transfer station in Lower Base.
But junk vehicles, Hiney said, are not accepted as the fluids they contain may violate environmental standards.
Barrett said “ leaking oil and decomposing materials are polluting groundwater, while rats and other animals make unsanitary homes within the vehicle’s carcass.”
Moreover, children playing in and around these vehicles can be injured by broken glass and sharp rusted metals, he added.
“With so many of these vehicles parked on public land or in plain view, the general degradation of our pristine tourist oriented island makes this a priority of our office,” the zoning administrator said.
Barrett said his office will give the owner a chance to recover what they want from the vehicle.
“[Zoning is] going to give everyone a minimum of 28 days from the time the violation is posted to comply,” he added.
“We understand that the economy is difficult, but the truth is getting rid of junk cars does not cost much at all and the benefits will be seen by residents and tourists alike in very short order,” Barrett said.
His office is now working with its attorney to determine the correct procedure for implementing the law.
Barrett said Triple Star and Ericco LLD recycling centers have expressed interest in the abandoned vehicles.
The Zoning Office, he added, will be requesting proposals from companies interested in taking the abandoned vehicles and disposing them properly.
“Any company we use must be properly licensed with the [Division of Environmental Quality] for oil and hazardous waste disposal,” Barrett said.
