JAMAICA: Citizens Encouraged to Practice Solid Waste Recycling

Montego Bay, January 31, 2019 – Jamaica – 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.

Release: JIS

Contact: Serena Grant