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

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

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 BUREAU:

Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited, which falls under the umbrella of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), has launched a new waste management initiative in the Catherine Hall, Ryne Park, and West Gate Hills communities in St James.

The aim of the initiative, which began at the start of August, is to reduce the amount of solid waste coming out of the communities on a daily and weekly basis.

“We have to get out some of the plastics within our wastes for us to achieve reduction in the time spent collecting garbage and the amount of garbage

that goes out there,” said Garnet Edmondson, the regional operations manager for WPM Waste Management Limited.

“The project will see households take the plastic and plastic bottles out of their waste, since they don’t smell, and hold them for two weeks. So when you separate those plastics, it then takes less amount of time to collect.”

SET DATES

According to WPM official, the garbage trucks will have set dates to collect the assorted plastics from the various communities, which should then be a less arduous process.

“We will then see less waste in those communities, and it means that the truck will get to clean a community faster in that given day,” said Edmondson.

Over recent weeks, communities that fall under WPM Waste Management Limited, which serves the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover and Westmoreland, have been blasting the agency for its poor garbage-collection record.

This matter was raised at the last monthly meeting of the St James Municipal Corporation, where Edmondson complained that resource challenges were responsible for the inefficient and untimely manner of garbage collection in the parish.

ONLY SEVEN COLLECTION UNITS

According to Edmondson, only seven government collection units are currently serving St James, which is divided into four zones.

“St James is divided into four zones, and in Zone One alone, there are 70 communities that should have eight units but presently have only one,” stated Edmondson in explaining the challenges facing the WPM.

“In Zone Two, there are six communities that should have six units but have only four; Zone Three has 71 communities that should be served by eight units but have one; and Zone 4 has 61 communities that should have six units but have only one.”

Edmondson, nonetheless, stated that WPM is prepared to clear the mounting garbage backlogs in St James and has already gone ahead in procuring a number of supplement units.

“Zone One has been given four supplement units, Zone Two got two supplement units, Zone Three did not get any, and Zone Four got three units to aid those seven belonging to the Government,” said Edmondson.

“Citizens, however, should keep in mind that some of these units are just as old as ours and work 24 hours a day. When one crew comes out of a truck, another crew goes in. So, these trucks hardly have any rest time. It is over 11 years [since] the agency has got any new units from the Government.”

Source: Jamaica Gleaner