EFJ presents Earth-Friendly Awards

Saturday, November 21, 2009 6:54 AM

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Environment

Five entities rewarded for recycling efforts

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

PROTECT the Environment Trust (PET) is among the five organisations and two private sector companies to be awarded by the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica (EFJ) for their outstanding recycling efforts.

The other awardees were the Fairy Hill Citizens Association, the Negril Chamber of Commerce - Negril Recycling Centre and the Hope Pastures Citizens Association (who all have projects funded by the EFJ), in addition to the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), PriceSmart and Digicel Jamaica.

D'Arcey Crooks of the Protect the Environment Trust (right) receives his Earth-Friendly Award from Sean Osner, the United States Government representative on the board of directors of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.

Sean Osner (left), the United States Government representative on the board of directors of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, presents the organisation's Earth-Friendly Award to Beverley Can of Fairy Hill.

They were all recognised at this year's Earth-Friendly Awards put on at the EFJ's annual public lecture on October 22. The lecture, held under the theme "The Trash Time Bomb: Tracking Jamaica's Solid Waste Challenges", was hosted at the Hilton Kingston Hotel.

The Protect the Environment Trust collects and receives plastic (PET and HDPE) bottles from around the island, which are then washed, shredded and compacted to be shipped overseas. Operations began in 2007 and there are two collection sites - the collection centre on Haining Road and the factory in Grants Pen. PET is exploring recycling of other materials such as paper.

Apart from self-funding and assistance from the EFJ and private sector companies like the Jamaica Public Service, PET has benefitted from EFJ-funding to acquire recycling equipment and a truck to collect the plastic waste.

The Fairy Hill Citizens Association and Neighbourhood Watch comprising the Fairy Hill, Boston and Lower Zion Hill in Portland have successfully implemented several projects, including a paper recycling project at their community centre.

A smiling Carey Wallace (right) of the Negril Chamber of Commerce - Negril Recycling Centre collects his Earth-Friendly Award from Sean Osner, the United States Government representative on the board of directors of the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica.

Sean Osner (left), United States Government representative on the board of directors for the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, presents the organisation's Earth-Friendly Award to Diana McCaulay of the Jamaica Environment Trust.

In 2008, through an EFJ grant, the group started a waste management and recycling programme at the Boston Primary and Infant Schools and surrounding communities. They have established a collection centre at the Boston Primary School to store plastic and glass bottles before transporting to Kingston monthly. The plastic bottles are delivered to PET while glass bottles are sold to Garbage Disposal Sanitation Systems.

Approximately 20 communities have come on board and drums and skips have been placed in those areas. They have launched a public education programme, which is ongoing throughout the communities, and have used skits, and brochures to disseminate information and have also produced a DVD, which is aired on their local cable channel. They are now partnering with the Portland Environment Protection Trust to tackle the waste management challenges in several communities and on the coastline of Portland.

The Negril Recycling Centre was established in 2002 as one of the outputs of the Coastal Water Improvement (CWIP) project in collaboration with the Negril Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders, including the EFJ. The centre collects PET, HDPE, glass bottles and cardboard, which are shredded or baled for export through Garbage Disposal and Sanitation Systems. The Jamaica Hotel and Tourist Association, Negril chapter, is the main supplier of raw materials to the centre and the Chamber is now looking to produce and market by-products locally from all the recycling activities, including ballistics, glass blocks, ashtrays, vases, candleholders.

The Hope Pastures Citizens Association, St Andrew has utilised EFJ funding to educate and encourage Hope Pastures community members to separate garbage, specifically for plastic bottle recycling, some aluminum can recycling and composting in their backyards.

JET, a non-governmental organisation, has since 1997 been working with schools on recycling projects through the Schools Environment Programme and more recently as a collection point for plastic bottles.

The two private sector companies presented by the EFJ, with Earth-Friendly Awards, PriceSmart and Digicel Jamaica, were recognised for first steps made with solid waste management through elimination of plastic bags and introduction of reusable shopping bags (at a cost) for customers and for first steps made with solid waste management and recycling through collection and restoring of old cellular phones for resale or use in local and foreign markets, respectively.

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