Trash tourists visit Lee County

When you live on an island, it's hard to find a place to hide your trash.

Consider the Cayman Islands, an international finance destination that now has an embarrassing problem with its trash.

The island's landfill has twice caught fire in recent months, sending billowing clouds of smoke into the sky visible even to cruise ship passengers. The landfill on the Caribbean tax haven has been dubbed “Mount Trashmore.”

To find a fix for the embarrassing problem, Cayman Premier Alden McLaughlin recently toured Lee County's waste plant, which is considered one of the most technologically advanced trash-to-energy facilities in Florida. The facility burns trash at more than 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit and the energy it creates is transformed into electricity.

Maybe the visitor's bureau should consider adding the plant to the list of must-see attractions.