Selibon Lagun Landfill to Close by End of 2028 - Concrete Agreements for Improving the Situation at Selibon Lagun
The Selibon Lagun landfill on Bonaire will close definitively by the end of 2028, and the Executive Council of Bonaire will allocate sufficient funds in 2025 and 2026 for sustainable operations. To address the most urgent risks to public health, nature, and the environment, the Dutch Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations (BZK) will support Bonaire.
These agreements are outlined in a signed agreement between the Executive Council of Bonaire and State Secretary Eddie van Marum of BZK. Through this collaboration, Bonaire and the Netherlands are working toward a better and healthier waste management system.
The problems at the Selibon Lagun landfill have developed over decades. Resolving the situation requires significant effort from all parties involved. The latest report by the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) confirms that the situation remains worrying and complex. The ILT concludes that supervision and enforcement must be tightened. The Executive Council is supported in this by the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (Omgevingsdienst Nederland). A temporary fence or camera surveillance will prevent unauthorized access to the site, with a permanent fence to be installed in the future.
A new waste disposal section will be set up in compliance with environmental standards. The Dutch government aims to contribute to the first measures at the landfill in the short term. To enable Selibon to carry out its work effectively, the Executive Council is allocating funds this year and next for the purchase of covering materials, landfill machinery, and collection trucks, totaling €6.1 million. Additionally, by January 1, 2027, the Council will introduce cost-covering rates for waste collection and processing for businesses and residents. By January 1, 2026, the Council will present a plan incorporating all recommendations from the latest ILT report.
In addition to short-term measures to address urgent issues, long-term improvements have also been agreed upon. Efforts are underway to develop a long-term vision for waste processing on Bonaire, including the search for an alternative location and the early closure of Selibon Lagun by December 1, 2028 (instead of 2030). The Executive Council will decide on an alternative waste processing location and the necessary measures by July 1, 2026.
Deputy Clark Abraham, signing on behalf of Bonaire:
“The early closure of the landfill fulfills a major wish of the residents of Lagun. I am pleased that these agreements will improve the well-being of local residents and Selibon Lagun employees, as well as the physical living environment and the people of Bonaire, within a foreseeable timeframe. It is also positive that the government supports the recommendations of the Council for the Environment, recognizing the need for structural funding for investments and maintenance of the island’s infrastructure.”
State Secretary Eddie van Marum (BZK):
“We have made solid agreements about the future of the landfill on Bonaire. I commend the Executive Council for taking responsibility for a complex issue that has developed over decades. In this way, the Council is working toward visible and tangible results for the people of Bonaire.”
