17.03.2016

Scrap cars: the Collectivité is launching a new campaign for removal

Removal is free until July 31st. Then, the population will have to pay to discard of their broken down vehicles.

It is customary in Saint-Martin, as well as in other islands of the Caribbean, to abandon one’s vehicle on the side of the road and street when it no longer works. However, recently, specific sites have been set aside to house old cars, the eco-site in Grandes Cayes, or the old landfill of Cul de Sac.

The sector of processing and recovery of broken down vehicles (BDV) is being developed in Saint Martin. For this purpose, the Collectivité received the financial support of the Ademe in Guadeloupe, the departmental agency for the environment and control of energy.

The removal of broken down cars had been deemed highly necessary two years ago, at the time of the chikungunya outbreak. But it is clear that many BDV remain here and there.

Today, the Collectivité wants to educate the public and encourage them to come to the eco-site on their own accord. A behavior that will include a cash-back incentive, as it did elsewhere in France.

Pending the implementation of this service, the Collectivité offers free removal to owners of wrecked cars. This campaign will commence on April 1st and end on July 31st. After which, owners will need to pay to discard their car. However, the processing will be funded by the Collectivité and Ademe.

Estelle Gasnet