The American Samoa Power Authority had estimated that the territory's only landfill would be full in two years. but they have found a way to extend its life.
Photo: Creative Commons
ASPA is now recompacting the waste at the landfill.
The managing director of ASPA, Paul Young, said finding a large enough parcel of land for a new landfill has proven very difficult because there is not enough land on Tutuila and people do not want landfills next to their homes.
Mr Young said the recompacting of the Futiga landfill will also reduce the danger of a fire by blocking air pockets in the waste, and bring other benefits.
"We are digging up the landfill and recompacting it. And by doing that we think we will be able to extend the life of the landfill up to about 15 years. So one it saves us a lot of money, two it protects us from having a large fire, three, there is not a lot of smell now.
"You go up to the landfill you see that its much prettier, as landfills go, and it doesn't smell as bad as it used to."
