NSWMA OBSERVES SOLID WASTE DAY ON JUNE 6
KINGSTON, June 6 (JIS):
The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is observing Solid Waste Day today, Friday, June 6, under the theme ‘Pass the Broom: End Plastic Pollution, the Future is Reusable’.
The Day, being marked as part of Environmental Awareness Week, provides an opportunity to address Jamaica’s solid waste challenges, educate the public and highlight innovative solutions.
Executive Director, NSWMA, Audley Gordon, told JIS News that all four regional offices will be active with clean-up projects and educational events.
“We will be doing quite a bit of washing down in several areas of Jamaica. We will be in St. Andrew in the Lawrence Tavern area, in Port Maria, Morant Bay, Sam Sharpe Square and Mandeville,” said Mr. Gordon.
He further noted that schools will be at the heart of the Day’s activities, as students will be directly engaged.
Lawrence Tavern Primary, Port Maria Primary and Manchester High are among the schools to be engaged.
“We want to ask them (students) to come, start from now to begin building the future that they want, one where it is a reusable future, a future where no garbage is being tossed around, because what we classify as garbage today, they will embrace it as resources that can produce economic benefit and they will see their role as custodes of the environment,” said Mr. Gordon.
He pointed out that although Solid Waste Day is observed on June 6, the work continues beyond that day.
“Make no mistake about it, it’s not a one-day thing, it’s not a one-month thing, it is a continuous thing that we will be doing. Again, I reiterate that we now have more boots on the ground, thanks to the effort of the Government to increase our Community Relations Unit, in terms of bodies… and we will be going in every nook and cranny to push this change behaviour,” said Mr. Gordon.
He further encouraged every Jamaican to play their part in ensuring a clean Jamaica.
The NSWMA is responsible for solid waste management in Jamaica.
Its mandate is to safeguard public health and ensure that waste is collected, stored, transported, recycled and reused or disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
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CONTACT: SHANNA K. SALMON
