It is time for Bermudians to begin cleaning up their own backyards -- along with a helping hand from Government.

Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson this week revealed that new houses may soon be required to have their own household sewage treatment facility.

Mr. Hodgson spoke with The Royal Gazette along with Government Environment Engineer Tom Sleeter about Bermuda's environmental plans as the Island enters the new Millennium.

He said technical officers were currently compiling a report on the viability of household sewage plants.

Although Bermuda has not had many problems with household sewage in the past, Mr. Hodgson said he wanted to clean up the system before it became a major issue.

"In the past, (sewage plants) have been designed for larger organisations and buildings, but the number of households in Bermuda is becoming so great that we're starting to see an increase of certain chemicals (in the ground of heavily populated areas),'' said Mr. Hodgson.

"If it pans out, by this time next year new houses would be required to have a household sewage treatment facility.'' Dr. Sleeter also noted that all major hotels, the Corporation of Hamilton and the Corporation of St. George's have been "put on notice'' about upgrading their sewage systems -- and they were expected to be upgraded within the next three to five years.

And he pointed to the new sewage treatment plant at the former Marriott Castle Harbour hotel as an example of how sewage water can be recycled into "very high quality water for flushing and irrigation''.

Other initiatives include the possibility of appointing an education officer who would begin to educate the public about environmental issues such as recycling.

Mr. Hodgson agreed with local environmentalist Heather Henderson that Bermuda's waste management issues were partially linked to the Island's affluence, but insisted that the biggest problem was educating the public.

Homes may be required to have own sewage treatment facilities "At the end of the day, if everyone is recycling when they can, then the problem for the community is reduced,'' he said.

"For example, how many clothes do we have that we won't ever wear out? Just because you're affluent doesn't mean you need to be wasteful.'' But both Mr. Hodgson and Dr. Sleeter said entrepreneurs -- rather than Government -- should consider taking the lead in recycling projects.

In terms of the Tynes Bay facility, which has been the subject of some criticism since its inception, Dr. Sleeter disagreed with Mrs. Henderson's waste management report which called the incinerator a "time bomb''.

"I don't think it's a time bomb at all, I think it works really well,'' said Dr. Sleeter.

Regarding the Tynes Bay facility, Mr. Hodgson stated that "Bermuda is committed there'' and it was "too late'' to consider an alternative presently, noting that the facility would be in use for the next several years.

But both he and Dr. Sleeter said there were regular air checks at six different points on the Island -- St. David's, Tynes Bay, Prospect, Tudor Hill, East Broadway and Bermuda Electric Light Company.

Dr. Sleeter also stressed that he was "very comfortable'' with the safety level of the ash blocks made from incinerated waste used at Castle Harbour.

And although he was concerned about the cracking which has occurred in some of the air-exposed blocks, Dr. Sleeter said a concrete expert would be arriving to evaluate the situation in the new year.

Since the change of Government last year, Mr. Hodgson said he has been concentrating primarily on the marine aspects of the Ministry.

And he said the Green Paper on Marine Resources and Fishing Industries in Bermuda was currently being printed and would probably be available before the House of Assembly resumes.

The Environment Ministry is also working on a project with the Ministry of Transport which could result in possible mandatory emissions tests, where vehicles would have to meet US standards for clean exhausts.

HOUSING HSG