Householders Assured That Garbage Will Be Picked Up

Head of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon, is assuring Jamaicans that their garbage will be picked up during the Christmas season.

“Go out and shop, party, cook up a storm and enjoy your Christmas; don’t worry, your garbage will be picked up,” he told JIS News.

Mr. Gordon said strategies are being put in place to ensure that garbage is collected, especially over the Christmas period when a spike in the generation of garbage is expected.

“We have already put in place [a strategy] to add six extra trucks in each region.  These are primarily for the peak period from December 15 to 31.  We intend to have a special campaign to deal with that, because everybody will shop a little more, party a little more and engage in a lot of commercial activity. With that comes extra garbage, so we have to be there to meet that expected demand,” he told JIS News.

Mr. Gordon said another strategy to be implemented is the introduction of night pickups, adding that this is expected to impact collection schedules.

He emphasised that it is the duty of residents to ensure that their garbage is properly containerised until the pickup can be done.

Mr. Gordon is encouraging householders to separate their garbage. “Plastic bottles, glass bottles, Styrofoam disposables and other materials can be separated. When you separate them, it makes it simpler for us to do a better job in sorting and protecting the environment,” he told JIS News.

He is reminding homeowners carrying out renovations that the garbage trucks cannot collect construction waste and bulky waste, such as old bathtubs, refrigerators and washing machines.

These should be removed by a private haulage contractor or persons can make arrangements with the NSWMA to have them removed, Mr. Gordon said.

Persons wishing to get information on pickup schedules can call the NSWMA’s toll-free line at 1-888-253-2652 or visit their website at: www.nswma.gov.jm .