Jamaicans Encouraged to Consider Reusing Discarded Items

Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon, is encouraging Jamaicans to consider repurposing and reusing discarded items, including electronic waste, to create economic opportunities.

“We have to get the thinking right and stop using the word waste and start talking about repurpose, reuse, recycling,” Mr. Gordon told JIS News at a recent Think Tank.

He noted that this shift in mindset and language is important to advancing the circular economy Jamaica is seeking to build, and many items thrown away can be reused in creative and practical ways, including in homes.

The Executive Director further pointed out that simple items such as bottles and containers can be repurposed with minimal effort, noting that reuse can be both functional and economical.

“You don’t need to buy vase for your flowers. If you have bottles, if you have containers that you intend to toss out, you could look at how, with a little spray paint,” Mr. Gordon said.

Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of INET Jamaica Limited, Kirk-Lyle Hall, said electronic waste also presents entrepreneurial and employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

“There are quite a number of employment opportunities. There are a lot of phone shops that fix cell phones and the opportunity exists,” Mr. Hall said.

He pointed to Jamaica’s thriving cell-phone industry as one area where youngsters, with proper training, can repair and repurpose devices, source parts from overseas suppliers and earn an income.

Mr. Hall added that this can help young people become entrepreneurs and use their time productively.