A Japanese firm is looking at leasing one of the Northern Marianas' islands to dispose of tons of debris from the 2011 tsunami in Japan.
Officials of the firm will be in Saipan next week to meet the Governor Benigno Fitial to discuss the proposal.
Representative Froilan Tenorio says the debris is non-toxic and non-radioactive.
Our correspondent, Mark Rabago, says the proposed island has pozzolan, which is volcanic ash used to produce cement.
"This is the stuff that they can not get rid of and can not put anywhere in their dumps, probably wood, building materials, or the remnants of their houses, basically junk. If they choose Pagan which has pozzolan deposits, it could be a two-way street. The ships will unload the debris, clean the ships, then we can mine the pozzolan and send it to the ships and sell it."
Mark Rabago reporting from Saipan.
