ESHER, Hanover — Residents of Esher Housing Scheme in Hanover, earlier this week welcomed the donation of garbage containers by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), which forms part of the agency’s efforts to address the issue of non-containerisation of solid waste across the island.

The project, which started in Manchester last year, headed into western Jamaica for the first time on Monday, starting with Farm Heights in St James followed by the delivery of 30 plastic containers to the Esher community.

Esher resident Camesha Anderson was all too happy for the containers, noting that while she has no issue with garbage collection, the one she utilises makes it accessible to animals, unlike those donated by the NSWMA.

“The truck normally comes once a week as long as there are no issues. So, we never really have such a big issue. Issues in terms of the size of the containers, but not an issue in terms of garbage or we normally go across the road which is a bit challenging if you don’t have a drive. So, this is good,” expressed Anderson.

Executive director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, stressed that non-containerisation of solid waste is costly.

“We are seeing the effects of non-containerisation every day. It is showing up in the cost of fuel. We are spending more on fuel because a lot of time we put the trucks out, they stop at one heap and by the time they are finished scraping, raking and bagging up, what would have been a three minutes exercise if we had the garbage properly non-containerisation, could lead to all an hour. While that is happening, the truck is still throttling. So, we are using fuel but we are not accomplishing anything,” Gordon explained.

 

“Secondly, we see what happens when it rains. The garbage makes its way into the waterways, it shows up in your gully and drains and it creates all sorts of issues with flooding, loss of property and lives. Not to mention what it does to marine life when it populated the shorelines. So, non-containerisation is a big challenge,” added the NSWMA head, who also pointed out that non-containerisation also makes the work of waste collectors, who are human beings, difficult.

Gordon argued that while the ‘Drum a Di Gate’ initiative will not stop animals ripping through the garbage, “it is a far more superior option” that the NSWMA is giving residents.

The initiative is a collaborative effort between NSWMA and Hardware and Lumber, which is donating some 200 drums monthly for one year. The NSWMA is responsible for the branding of the containers, among other things. EdgeChem Jamaica Limited has also indicated its willingness to join the initiative. The NSWMA head said other partners are welcomed.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Hanover Western Tamika Davis, who was also on hand for the delivery of the containers in Esher, expressed delight for the initiative.

She pointed out that for years, Hanover has been grappling with the issue of proper garbage disposal.

“So, a project like this, container at the gate, is one which will, in fact, sync what we have been trying to do for years [by] trying to get our community members more involved and be more responsible when it comes on to the disposal of garbage,” she argued.

Davis further disclosed that during community meetings, the cry of residents, for the most part, is the need for a place to properly dispose of their garbage.

“This [Drum a Di the Gate initiative] is one of the many steps that we will have to take to ensure that Hanover Western becomes, by far, the most beautiful constituency in the island of Jamaica,” expressed Davis.

Source: The Jamaica Observer

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and Recycling Partners of Jamaica held a plastic bottle separation drive in the town of Falmouth, Trelawny, on Wednesday (June 23).

The activity sought to raise awareness and interest surrounding the national plastic separation and recycling campaign, which is under way in several parishes, by highlighting the impact plastics have on the environment.

Persons were educated about the importance of separating their plastic bottles and containers as well as where to drop them off or make arrangements for pickup as the campaign steadily expands across the country.

Community Relations Officer at the NSWMA’s regional arm, Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, Sharnon Williams, told JIS News that plastic collection has been increasing in the region, which, in addition to Trelawny, also includes Westmoreland, Hanover and St. James.

She indicated that there is a receptacle in Falmouth where bottles can be dropped off for pickup.

“Now persons have that option to separate their plastic bottles so we can remove them. We don’t want them at the Retirement disposal site, because they are toxic and bad for the environment,” Ms. Williams pointed out.

 

“So today, we are educating persons and telling them, separate your plastic bottles. You can call Recycling Partners of Jamaica or WPM Waste Management Limited and we will collect them,” she added.

 

Vendor Services Administrator at Recycling Partners of Jamaica, Racquel Hoilett, said that the sensitisation initiative is important, as the more plastics collected the more good it does the environment.

“We only have one planet, and so the harm that the plastics do to our environment, the pollution it causes, the destruction to our marine life, all of that may seem like it doesn’t affect us, but it actually does,” she pointed out.

“It affects our climate [and] the way that we live, so we have to protect the only planet that we have. There is no other option,” she stressed.

Logistics Administrator of Recycling Partners of Jamaica, Jonathan-Adam Beckford, told JIS News that there is also a compensation system in place, where persons are paid $50 dollars per kilogram of plastics brought in to a depot.

“Recycling helps the environment. A lot of people aren’t seeing the immediate effect it has on us and it is not until the bottles are piling up in the yards and on the roads that they start to act, but we don’t want it to get there so we are putting things in place,” he said.

The Montego Bay Marine Park, Forestry Department and other agencies participated in the sensitisation drive.

Source: JIS

Regional Operations Manager at Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, Garnet Edmondson.

Regional Operations Manager at Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, Garnet Edmondson, is encouraging citizens to log on to WPM’s new website for information about waste management services, including its collection schedule.

He said that the launch of the website is aimed at further engaging the citizenry of Western Jamaica in waste management.

“Our website has everything about us, including our domestic waste collection. You will see what is happening at our landfills and, most importantly, you will see the schedule for our collection days.

“You will see your inspectors, the persons who are responsible for your waste collection, their numbers and their photos. You will also see a number of things that we are doing in communities.  So our website promises to be a very interactive one,” Mr. Edmondson said.

He was addressing the ‘Let’s Talk Waste Separation’ webinar hosted by WPM on Thursday (June 3).

The website includes career information and a section where persons can pay tickets for littering.

Mr. Edmondson said that the new website provides a medium where citizens can advise MPM about their waste management challenges, so that these can be addressed.

“Our successful management of waste in the west is about 70 per cent communication and we find that keeping our citizenry informed is very important,” he noted.

The webinar was held to discuss waste separation and to encourage citizens to recycle their plastic waste.

It involved collaboration with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Montego Bay Marine Park Trust and Recycling Partners of Jamaica.

During the session, citizens were encouraged to place their plastic bottles in recycling bins that have been installed in the Fairview area of Montego Bay, St. James and Falmouth, Trelawny in conjunction with Recycling Partners of Jamaica.

Source: JIS

The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA)/Western Parks and Markets (WMP) Waste Management Limited conducted a successful community clean-up and sensitisation exercise across several communities in St. James recently.

The activity was carried out in recognition of Earth Day 2021, under the theme ‘Restore Our Earth’.

Communities such as Irwin, Retirement and Gutters in the parish were among the areas where teams from the Administrative and Public Health Departments of WPM removed old appliances and bulky materials, and cleaned mini dump sites, while persons residing in the area were sensitised on proper solid waste disposal practices.

Plastic bottles were also retrieved from household wastes to be taken to Recycling Partners of Jamaica Limited.

Community Relations Officer at the NSWMA/Western Parks and Markets (WMP) Waste Management Limited, Sharnon Williams, told JIS News that it is imperative that the public understand the importance of a clean environment.

“We are moving those [materials] today and we are also picking up the plastic bottles and sensitising residents about the importance of taking care of the environment,” Ms. Williams outlined.

 

“It is extremely important, so we can get rid of rodents. We don’t want rodent infestation [and] we don’t want the stench. We just want the place to be clean. Essentially, human beings will also benefit,” she added.

Ms. Williams said that it will take everyone to promote and maintain a clean Jamaica. She noted that eliminating illegal dumping sites, separating plastic bottle wastes and taking care of the environment are among the priorities for the entity.

“I just want to encourage everybody to partner with us. Jamaica‘s beauty is collective duty. The NSWMA, we have a duty to collect the garbage, but you also have a duty to package your garbage properly, store it until it is time for collection,” she indicated.

Ms. Williams said the entity is now looking forward to Labour Day on May 23 as well as National Solid Waste Day on June 6.

Source: JIS

Western Parks and Market (WPM) Waste Management Limited is urging residents of St. James to separate plastic containers from their regular household waste in order to reduce the high volume of plastics at the Retirement landfill.

WPM’s Regional Operations Manager, Garnet Edmondson, said that plastics not only harm the environment but intensify fires at the landfill.

“When it goes to the landfill and should there be a fire, those plastics enhance the burning and give us less control in the event of a spontaneous combustion or other fire at the landfill,” he pointed out.

Mr. Edmondson was speaking at the recent monthly meeting of the St. James Municipal Corporation.

The WPM’s Regional Operations Manager said that the agency has ramped up its fight against plastic pollution but needs the public’s support in the process.

“We are on a journey and we want persons to join us on this journey of taking the harmful plastic out of our environment,” he noted.

He said that the entity is undertaking activities during the year to encourage plastic separation, starting with the ‘Our Love for the Environment’ initiative on February 14, and on Labour Day (May 23), and Solid Waste Day in June.

Mr. Edmondson also called on householders to invest in a storage container specifically for the collection of plastic containers. He assured that once collected, the WPM will dispatch a fleet to pick up the containers.

“Get the plastics in those receptacles, bag them, and reach out to us. We have three vehicles available to pick up all those plastics,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Mr. Edmondson informed that 800 pounds of plastic bottles were collected from the communities of Ramble Hill, West Gate Hill, and Meadows of Irwin on Global Recycling Day, which was observed on March 18.

The WPM is a regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and is responsible for waste collection in Trelawny, St. James, Hanover, and Westmoreland.

Source: JIS

The Western Parks and Market (WPM) Waste Management Limited on Friday (February 12) launched a pilot plastic bottle separation project in the Meadows of Irwin Community in St. James.

The project aims to reduce the high volume of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles deposited at the Retirement disposal site in the parish and to promote the separation of plastic bottles from organic waste at the source.

The project was launched under the theme: “For the Love of the Environment.”

As part of the initiative, representatives of the WPM armed with pamphlets, conducted a sensitization blitz in the community, to educate residents about the procedure for separation, as well as the importance of initiative.

In addition, 12 drums designated for plastic bottle collection have been placed across the community, while bags were distributed to residents for storage of the containers.

The WPM has partnered with the Meadows of Irwin Citizens Association Limited and Recycling partners of Jamaica on the project.

WPM’s Regional Operations Manager, Garnet Edmondson, in an interview with JIS News, said the community engagement targeted some 300 residents who were encouraged to play their part in ensuring the success of the project.

He noted that the initiative forms part of the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s commitment to promoting respect for the environment.

“Plastics can be useful, but can become very harmful. So for longevity in terms of life, we have to realize the harmful nature of these plastics when they are [not] disposed of properly,” Mr. Edmondson stated.

 

He said data from the pilot will be used to guide the implementation of the programme in larger communities across the parish.

 

“To do this pilot, we have to start with a small working group to make sure that we develop and build on it, so that when we go into a much larger community like Cornwall Courts, we would understand the dynamics of what we are doing,” Mr. Edmondson stated.

For her part, Operations Director at the NSWMA, Aretha McFarlane stated that the Authority will continue the push to build and support awareness of the need to recycle.

“A lot of garbage can be harmful to the environment and as such today we are focusing on the plastics. It is important that we separate at source; that way it is much easier for us to handle the waste and take care of it accordingly. This initiative is not just in Montego Bay, we also have a pilot in Kingston,” she said.

Meanwhile, Deputy Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, welcomed the project, noting that it will contribute to a healthier environment.

“I believe it is a good initiative and I believe it will save us money and it will save our environment. If you love the environment, you should ensure that you protect it and this is one way you can protect it. Ensure that you separate your garbage,” he said.

President of the Meadows of Irwin Citizen’s Association Limited, Janique Harris commended the NSWMA for selecting the community for the pilot, stating that residents are committed to its success.

“We were approached by the NSWMA and we were quite excited because we do understand that there has been significant degrading of the environment and a lot of pollution and we really want to play our part in this,” she said.

Source: JIS

Western Parks and Market (WPM) Waste Management Limited has assisted 75 retirees of the agency in western Jamaica by providing care packages to help them cope during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

Speaking with JIS News, Regional Operations Manager, Garnet Edmondson, said that WPM’s management team donated a portion of their April salaries to undertake the initiative, which amounted to some $200,000.

“We decided that we wouldn’t seek any assistance from anybody, because we recognise at this time that almost everybody is feeling a little pinch from the COVID-19,” he said.

The Regional Operations Manager noted that the packages, which were distributed over a one-week period starting Monday, May 4, contained basic food items, such as rice, flour, sugar and toiletries.

“We recognised that there were some retirees whose salaries weren’t very impressive when they were working. We know what is happening in the economy now with the layoffs and the hotels being closed, and a large number of these retired persons depend on family members. That within itself would present a struggle for them, so we wanted to let them know that they have another family here – the WPM family,” he said.

 

Mr. Edmondson informed that the initiative targeted “our more aged retired staff”, who served as street sweepers, sidemen as well as office workers, noting that these individuals gave years of dedicated service to waste management in communities in western Jamaica.

“I visited one in Trelawny, and he was very happy to see us. I visited another in Westmoreland, who was also very happy to see us,” he said.

Mr. Edmondson described the gesture as the agency’s continued commitment to assisting the most vulnerable to weather the COVID-19 pandemic.

“At this time, we want them to feel safe and to not panic, as our tag line that we are using now is ‘Stay strong don’t panic’. So, we want to say that to them by way of these gifts. Stay strong, don’t panic, things will return to normal sometime soon,” he added.

WPM Waste Management Limited serves the parishes of Westmoreland, Hanover, St. James and Trelawny.

Source: JIS

Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited has implemented strict protocols to maintain efficient service delivery while safeguarding employees and the public against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Regional Operations Manager, Garnet Edmondson, said that measures implemented at WPM’s offices in St James, Westmoreland and Trelawny include: mandatory sanitising of hands upon entering the buildings to guard against the virus’ transmission.

Additionally, he said the entity’s garbage trucks have been outfitted with hand-washing apparatus while sanitation staff has been equipped with the necessary protective gear for use in the field.

“We are washing down our trucks once per day and spraying them with the necessary sanitisation material. While we are doing that, we continue to disseminate information to all staff members so as to prevent any panic,” Edmondson informed.

Meanwhile, in a bid to further protect sanitation workers, he is imploring persons experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to double the number of bags used to deposit solid waste containing used tissue, gloves, face masks, and diapers.

“Because of the nature of their jobs, sanitisation workers interface with the waste directly. So we are asking that persons take care in terms of double-bagging waste,” the operations manager added.

He further indicated that measures have been instituted at the Retirement waste disposal site in St James to ensure its continued operation, in the event any employee contracts the virus.

Emergency tipping space

“We have the staff practising the sanitisation procedures. However, we are also clearing an area that will act as an emergency tipping space.

We have two tractors at our landfill that push, compact and spread; and should those operators fall ill during this crisis, we will still have tipping space for our garbage,” he stated.

Meanwhile, Edmondson advised that WPM is part of the Emergency Operating Centre Committee (EOCC) for St James, which is focused on public sensitisation and protection of employees and other citizens from COVID-19.

Source: The Gleaner

The Public Investment Management Secretariat (PIMSEC) has approved the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) construction of a new garbage transfer station in Trelawny.

Executive Director of the NSWMA, Audley Gordon, told JIS News that the station will serve as an area where trucks can deposit solid waste prior to being loaded onto larger vehicles and transported to designated disposal sites.

He advised that the process to construct the facility now advances to the next phase, “where the consultant is to bring us the design and Bill of Quantities”.

Mr. Gordon said the transfer station, with its multiple benefits, “is a win-win for all”.

“If you put a transfer station in Daniel Town, instantly Trelawny will become a cleaner parish. The truck that now loads in Daniel Town will take roughly two hours to drop-off and make another round. If we put a transfer station in closer proximity, that truck could clean approximately 20 communities within that time,” Mr. Gordon outlined.

 

He indicated that solid waste will be temporarily stored at the transfer station and moved to designated landfills, preferably at nights when there is less traffic.

“The transfer station will help us to save on fuel, and wear and tear on the vehicles; but most importantly, communities will be cleaned quicker,” the Executive Director added.

Mr.  Gordon pointed out that the strategic placement of transfer stations is consistent with the Government’s thrust and NSWMA’s mandate to create a cleaner environment for citizens.

Source: JIS

MONTEGO BAY, St James — Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited has warned restaurant and cook-shop operators that it will be undertaking enforcement activities in the resort city of Montego Bay, which is overrun with rats in some areas.

WPM is a regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA).

Regional Operations Manager at WPM Garnet Edmondson noted that the authority’s enforcement team is now better equipped to carry out its duties.

“We recently received a new Toyota Hilux vehicle that will be a part of our enforcement strategy. It is important, because we are coming around. We are going to be visiting restaurants. We are going to be visiting all the cook shops. You must have that garbage contract. You must show us the last time your garbage was picked up. You must show us that you are registered with the public health department,” Edmondson stressed.

 

“Of course, to have a clean city, you must comply with the rules. So, now that the enforcement arm of WPM is now mobile and will be getting additional resources — thanks to TEF (Tourism Enhancement Fund) — we will be out there to educate and to enforce.”

Edmondson was addressing a WPM symposium for restaurants and cook-shop operators at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in St James recently.

Earlier this month, the (NSWMA) announced that it had received two vehicles funded by the TEF that will assist the authority’s enforcement team in enforcement activities across four resort towns in western Jamaica.

Source: Jamaica Observer