NSWMA to Double Communities Participating in Plastic Separation and Recycling
By: , June 5, 2021
Photo: Okoye Henry
Drax Hall Manor resident, Barbara Brown (front left), cuts the ribbon to commission into service three plastic disposal bins in the St. Ann community on Friday (June 4). Applauding the occasion are residents and representatives from the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and North Eastern Parks and Market (NEPM) Waste Management Limited. The commissioning of the plastic disposal bins was part of activities by the NSWMA to mark National Solid Waste Week 2021.
Photo: Okoye Henry
Executive Director for the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon (foreground), displays a used tyre that has been recycled during a ceremony for the commissioning into service of three plastic disposal bins at Drax Hall Manor in St. Ann on Friday (June 4). The event was part of activities by the NSWMA to mark National Solid Waste Week 2021. The Full Story
Executive Director of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Audley Gordon, says the entity plans to double the number of communities participating in its plastic separation and recycling campaign by the end of June.
Speaking to JIS News during National Solid Waste Week 2021 activities at Drax Hall Manor in St. Ann on Friday (June 4), Mr. Gordon said there are currently 25 communities across the country that are actively involved in the roll-out of the initiative.
He noted that 16 of these are in St. Andrew while the other nine are spread across the other NSWMA regions.
“People are calling us. They are crying out ‘when are you coming into my community; we want to separate our plastics.’ That is very good for us because what it tells us is that they are willing partners and we are big on partnerships,” said Mr. Gordon.
“So we are incrementally moving the programme along and we will be in your community soon because we intend to see full separation of plastics in every home across Jamaica within the next three years,” he said.
Mr. Gordon noted that it is possible for every household to practise plastic separation and recycling, once Jamaicans start taking greater responsibility for their solid waste disposal habits.
“All it takes is for us to have one (container) out and we just put the plastic in it and that is something that is easy to do,” he said.
“So we are appealing to the wider Jamaica that we intend to come to your community as early as we can because we have to manage the process. We (NSWMA) cannot solve the problem (of plastic pollution) by ourselves. With our best intentions and energy, we must get the buy-in of all our citizenry. When our citizens play their part this work becomes very easy,” he contended.
National Solid Waste Week is being observed from June 1-6 under the theme: ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’.
Drax Hall Manor was the first community in St. Ann to successfully partner with the NSWMA’s regional office, North Eastern Parks and Market (NEPM) Waste Management Limited, for the plastic separation and recycling project.
On Friday, residents participated in the commissioning into service of three plastic disposal bins in the area. Persons were sensitised on proper solid waste management, provided with tips on how to recycle used items, and other activities.