Central government takes control of Lagun landfill: ‘This time we mean business’

KRALENDIJK - The Dutch central government is taking greater responsibility for the problems at the Lagun landfill on Bonaire. The Minister of Infrastructure and Water Management will become responsible for permit issuance, while the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) will ultimately oversee and enforce compliance. Ahead of the required legislative amendment, the ministry, the Public Entity of Bonaire (OLB) and the ILT have signed a cooperation declaration.

The parties want to prevent the approach from stalling again for months on end. The ILT will already provide support on practical and legal issues. In the first week of September, inspectors will travel to Bonaire to assess with Selibon and the OLB which concrete measures can be taken immediately.

According to ILT team leader Stan Smeulders, the problems at Lagun have been developing over decades. There is an accumulation of technical, organisational and legal problems that pose serious risks to the environment and the health of local residents.

"The transition to a type 4 company is intended to gradually work towards a situation in which Selibon complies with current and future permit obligations," says Smeulders. Ultimately, this should put an end to the uncontrolled dumping of waste at Lagun.

The inspectorate does warn that the problems will not be resolved within a few months. "Given the urgency, it is important to collectively arrive at a coherent package of very concrete actions as quickly as possible," Smeulders said. "To temper expectations, I should immediately add that this will be a lengthy process that will certainly take several years."

Next week, inspectors will discuss what measures are needed to comply with the requirements of the draft environmental permit. They will also look at better separation of waste streams, such as organic material, glass and clean construction rubble, and at preparations for a new asbestos depot.

Responsibility transferred to central government

The State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management paid a one-day visit to Bonaire on Friday. She visited Lagun, spoke with local residents and handed over ten measuring devices. The first device was installed at a resident living near the landfill. The measurement results will be made public through the RIVM monitoring network.

"It is very important that measurements are taken," the State Secretary told the editors of Bonaire.nu. "It shows residents collectively that measurements are being taken and that this information will also be made public."

In addition, the Establishments and Activities Decree BES is being amended. Waste companies currently fall under type 3, which means the executive council is responsible for permit issuance, supervision and enforcement. After the amendment, Selibon will fall under type 4. Rijkswaterstaat will then be responsible for the permit and the ILT for supervision and enforcement.

"We are moving to type 4. That means the central government will take on that responsibility, because this is simply a very large dossier," the State Secretary said.

The legislative amendment and the new permit will take time. Until the ILT is formally authorised, the inspectorate can therefore only provide operational and legal support. Enforcement action is not yet possible at this time.

The State Secretary wants progress to be made in the meantime. Under the leadership of the island government, a group must be formed to map out exactly what actions are needed to achieve clear results by the end of 2028 at the latest. Every three months, the State Secretary and Lieutenant Governor John Soliano will discuss progress.

"This time we really mean business. It has to happen and the pressure must be on," the State Secretary said. "It has been going on for far too long. As long as you are in this position, you have to make sure you do what you have agreed."

She was also responding to the question of whether the island council elections of March 2027 and possible political shifts could again cause delays. According to her, the agreements must be implemented regardless of the political situation.

Soliano speaks of a turning point

Lieutenant Governor John Soliano calls the visit and the signing of the cooperation declaration an important moment. According to him, Bonaire has already been able to do a great deal with the central government over the past year and a half, but the involvement of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management is now more explicitly visible.

"It is the first time that the State Secretary of Infrastructure and Water Management has sought engagement with this level of involvement and openness, and with such a focus on cooperation," Soliano told Bonaire.nu. "We have not just talked about all kinds of topics, but actually taken action. We even signed a cooperation declaration together."

According to the Lieutenant Governor, the new cooperation must ensure that the approach holds even in the event of political changes. "Today was an important moment and a turning point in the process by which we will tackle this major challenge together."

Service level agreement

Soliano also addressed the service level agreement between the OLB and Selibon. That agreement must set out which services the waste company provides to the public entity and what remuneration is attached to them. According to him, the agreement was put out for approval in January but still needs to be approved by Selibon.

In June, the OLB and the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations signed a supplementary agreement. In it, the island government committed to making available the funds that KPMG research determined are necessary to keep Selibon financially stable.

"The service level agreement has not yet been finalised, but is in progress," Soliano said. Selibon must also produce a business plan setting out what the company needs to secure waste processing in the future and to enable investment.

Bonaire.nu submitted a Wob (open government) request on 8 April 2026 for the care contract between Selibon and the Public Entity of Bonaire, as both parties were unwilling to make the contract public. All communications relating to the old and new agreements were also requested. The care contract is reported to have been terminated in 2023. Work on a new service level agreement is now under way. According to the Legal Affairs department, the Wob request encompasses approximately six hundred files. The department has indicated that the documents will be delivered to the Bonaire.nu editorial inbox within two weeks.