‘Drum A Di Gate’ Gets Positive Response

Director of Operations, National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Aretha McFarlane, says there has been positive response to the ‘Drum a Di Gate’ initiative.

“So far it is good. Persons have been cooperating. They have been using the drums for the intended purpose,” she told JIS News in a recent interview.

Launched in November 2020, ‘Drum a Di Gate’ aims to encourage proper waste disposal through the containerisation of garbage.

Under the initiative, the NSWMA signed an agreement valued at more than $1.5 million with Hardware and Lumber (H&L) for the provision of 200 drums each month for 12 months to the NSWMA, for distribution to targeted communities.

“We have started getting those drums and we have started distribution of those drums already,” Ms. McFarlane said.

She told JIS News that, to date, drums have been disbursed to Allman Town and Arnette Gardens in Kingston, Flanker, St. James, and other communities.

“We will continue this initiative because we are targeting densely populated areas so that we can better manage the garbage situation and improve efficiency and turnaround time for our crew that goes in to pick up,” she said.

Noting the negative impact of improper waste disposal on the environment, particularly in relation to polluting waterways, she said that communities along the Sandy Gully belt will be targeted under the initiative.

“What we want to prevent is the waste going into our waterways and into the sea eventually. We are a company that is big on the environment; we want a healthy environment. We want our waterways to be healthy,” she said.