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

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

Citizens are being encouraged to recycle and reuse solid waste material, where possible.

This, according to Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited’s Regional Operations Manager, Garnet Edmonson, will greatly serve to reduce the volume of refuse generated and discarded.

He was speaking at the official opening of the Cambridge garbage holding area in St. James on January 25.

Mr. Edmonson suggested that a craft-making programme utilising plastics could be introduced in schools, to decrease the quantity of these items being discarded.

“We see where the Government has embarked on banning some plastic products and what that [will do] for us, as citizens, is to save our lives. Plastic takes over 250 years to decompose, and if we continue discard these items on [top of] what is already there, we are only [going to be] taking up more landfill space,” he said.

Mr. Edmonson also urged the residents to properly dispose of cardboard boxes in the holding area and other designated disposal points, noting that these items often occupy additional space that could be used for other discarded material.

“Many times, our trucks visit [the communities) and we notice that there are a lot of cardboard boxes that fill up the bins. When we do further checks we realise that they are the only items in them. So if we teach you how to break the boxes down properly, the facility will further hold more than what it normally does when the item is not broken down,” said Mr. Edmonson.

Meanwhile, residents of Cambridge are lauding WPM for its efforts in streamlining the community’s garbage disposal arrangements.

Beniah Grant described the undertaking as “a good move”, as refuse was being dumped “all over the place”.

Mr. Grant’s sentiments were echoed by Iris Mullings, who indicated that she was “pleased to see what is going on, and I hope it will continue”.

Another resident, Winifred Josephs, told JIS News that the decision to create the community garbage holding area is a “wise one”.

She expressed the hope that residents of Cambridge and surrounding communities, “will see it fit to keep it in good condition so that we can continue to benefit from it”.

As part of the day’s activities, WPM’s staff removed bulky waste, deemed potential mosquito-breeding sites, from Cambridge.

The community garbage holding area, which has four skips, will serve as Cambridge’s central solid waste disposal point.

Source: JIS