#Jamaica, December 11, 2017 – Kingston – Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon, is urging operators of commercial entities to work with the agency to ensure the proper disposal of solid waste.   While the NSWMA is not responsible for the removal of commercial garbage, Mr. Gordon told JIS News that business owners can consult the agency in order to put proper arrangements in place.   He lamented that a number of commercial centres across the island do not have adequate facilities for solid-waste storage and disposal.

As such, he is advising developers to check with the Authority on proper waste-disposal protocol before they begin construction.

“First of all, you should make arrangements when you are building the plaza where the trucks will have access to get the garbage and where the garbage will be housed. All those things have to be included in the planning.   We are appealing to commercial entities and developers to get us in on the conversation early when doing these plans, so that the solid waste management can be part of the overall strategy when you are building,” he stressed.

The NSWMA Executive Director warned that persons who continue to litter could face stiffer sanctions under new regulations to come on stream shortly for breaches of the NSWMA Act.

Meanwhile, Senior Investigator for the NSWMA, Phillip Morgan, said that operators of commercial enterprises should ensure that waste and other debris are properly containerised and taken to an approved dump site.   This, he noted, is particularly important for food establishments, which must have a proper waste-disposal system in place in order to be issued a public health certificate to operate.

For persons who contract the NSWMA, Mr. Morgan explained that an agent will visit the establishment to assess waste in terms of how many bags are generated per day or per week, and a rate will then be applied.

“For example, if it is $200 to collect a bag and you generate 10 bags per week, you would pay $2,000 for the collection of waste every week.   Persons who prefer to have waste removed from the premises daily will do so for an additional cost,” he said.

Enterprises found in breach of the NSWMA Act will be charged with illegal dumping.   This is a prosecutable offence under the law.   Section 45A of the NSWMA Act stipulates that persons who dispose of waste in a manner not approved by the Authority, if found guilty, can be fined up to $1 million or sentenced to a nine-month jail term or both.

“It may start with a ticket fine for littering.   The lower end is $2,000 for the person who actually does the littering.   For the person who employs the person doing the littering, it is $10,000.   But, it may go up to as much as $1 million if brought before the court, and, also, they might face jail time,” Mr. Morgan outlined.

The NSWMA is the regulator of the waste collection industry and is mandated to collect domestic or residential waste.   Arrangements for waste collection and disposal can be made by business operators through the NSWMA’s regional bodies.

These are Metropolitan Parks and Markets (MPM) Waste Management Limited, Southern Parks and Markets (SPM) Waste Management Limited, Western Parks and Markets (WPM) Waste Management Limited; and North Eastern Parks and Markets (NEPM) Waste Management Limited.   Operators can also contract the services of a private waste collector.

Release: JIS