Almost 100,000 lbs of plastic collected in St Andrew communities
/ Our Today
administrator
The National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is reporting that almost 100,000 lbs of plastic have been collected under its pilot plastic separation project implemented in several St Andrew communities last year.
“We selected 16 communities that we believe can become more sustainable in terms of the approach towards [plastic] separation and we have been working with them,” said NSWMA Projects and Planning Manager, Edson Carr.
“Since January 27 of last year, we have collected approximately 98,251 pounds of plastics across the communities,” he noted.
Carr was speaking during the NSWMA’s webinar on ‘Plastic Separation During a Pandemic’ held recently as part of the activities for National Environmental Awareness Week 2021.
The pilot project engages households from Metropolitan Parks and Markets’ northern belt communities, including Hope Pastures, Barbican, Liguanea, Mona, Havendale, Jack’s Hill, Cherry Gardens, Long Mountain, Norbrook, Dillsbury, Millsborough, Lower Shortwood, Beverly Hills, Belgrade Heights, Smokey Vale and Meadowbrook.
“What we are going to be doing, especially for the northern belt project, is to increase the number of communities that we are collecting from by 100 per cent.”
NSWMA Projects and Planning Manager, Edson Carr
The NSWMA will be expanding the number of communities as it moves into phase 2 of the project.
“What we are going to be doing, especially for the northern belt project, is to increase the number of communities that we are collecting from by 100 per cent,” Carr said.
“Hopefully, by next week (June 6-12) we should have everything finalised and be able to roll out to those new communities and then have continued expansion,” he indicated.
OTHER PLASTIC SEPARATION PROJECTS ONGOING
The newly selected communities will first be sensitised about the project through the NSWMA’s Community Relations Officers, who will share information, types of accepted plastics, how to separate, collection days, among other things.
Other plastic separation projects have been launched and are ongoing in the Southern Parks and Markets (SPM), Western Parks and Markets (WPM) and the North Eastern Parks and Markets (NEPM) regions.
Communities, groups and strata corporations interested in participating are encouraged to contact the NSWMA’s Community Relations Department by calling 876-960-4511 and starting the conversation on sound environmental practices.
JIS
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