Montego Bay, December 2, 2018 – Jamaica – Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon. Daryl Vaz, says the Government is embarking on a project to remove approximately 1.5 million used tires from the Riverton Landfill in St. Andrew.

Mr. Vaz says the project’s details are being finalized by Cabinet, with plans to commence the engagement in the first quarter of the 2019/20 fiscal year, noting that “it will take about 12 to 18 months to totally get rid of all the existing stock of tires”.

He was speaking on Thursday (November 29) at the launch of the Integrated Water, Land and Ecosystems (IWEco) project to restore the hydrological and supporting features of the Negril Great Morass in Westmoreland, at Couples Swept Away.

Mr. Vaz, who has responsibility for Land, Environment and Climate Change, advised that a private company will be contracted to shred the tires, which, in turn, will be used in the production of cement.

This, he notes, will stem the burning of the old tires at the landfill, pointing out that this has, to a large extent, contributed to the poor air quality that has plagued Riverton and its environs.

“One of the reasons persons are illicitly burning the tires… is to take the wires out of it for the scrap-metal industry; this shredder will take the wires out automatically. So we will work with persons in the communities down there [Riverton area] to see how we will distribute the wires, rather than for them to burn and cause the air-quality problems that we have been having,” the Minister added.

Mr. Vaz said the project is being effected in this manner, as “it is absolutely almost prohibitive, in terms of cost, to move the tires by trucking them away to some other location”.

He reiterated that the Government remains committed to safeguarding the environment and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

The Integrated Water, Land and Ecosystems (IWEco) project is being executed by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) at a cost of US$13 million, with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Government of Jamaica.

The project, which is being supported by several other government agencies, is slated to start in January 2019 and end in 2022.

Release: JIS

Contact: Nickieta Sterling

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon Daryl Vaz, emphasises a point while delivering the keynote address at the launch of the Integrated Water, Land and Ecosystems (IWEco) project to restore the hydrological and supporting features of the Negril Great Morass in Westmoreland, at Couples Swept Away on Thursday (November 29).

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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Hon Daryl Vaz (second right), converses with (from left) Negril Chamber of Commerce President, Daniel Grizzle (left); Western Hanover Member of Parliament, Ian Hayles; and Chief Executive Officer/Government Town Planner, National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Peter Knight (fourth left), at the launch of the Integrated Water, Land and Ecosystems (IWEco) project to restore the hydrological and supporting features of the Negril Great Morass in Westmoreland, at Couples Swept Away on Thursday (November 29).

Nickieta Sterling Photos