WPM Waste Management Limited has ramped up its garbage collection in the western parishes to deal with the increased volume generated during the Christmas season.
The western regional arm of the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), WPM Waste Management Limited, has direct responsibility for the collection and disposal of solid waste within the parishes of Trelawny, St James, Hanover, and Westmoreland.
Regional Operations Manager Edward Muir says the agency’s teams stepped up their collection of domestic, commercial, and bulky waste over recent weeks throughout the region.
This is in response to extra waste that is usually generated due to the increase in commercial and social activities.
“This Christmas season we have seen a significant increase in the amount of waste coming to our garbage disposal facility [in Retirement],” said Muir, adding that this is partly due to collections being spearheaded by members of Parliament as part of the country’s response to the dengue outbreak.
“As an agency, we have also been removing bulky waste … clearing [illegal] minidumps and carrying out desilting of gullies and drains. We have also observed that residents have been putting out more [domestically generated] garbage – separate and apart from their bulky waste,” Muir said.In response, WPM has put the necessary measures in place to accommodate efficient collection.
“We are now operating a 24-hour schedule at the disposal facility. We have extended the hours for our crews – the drivers, sanitation officers … and those of the heavy-duty machine operators as well, to ensure the clearance of waste and prevent and reduce any existing backlog,” he emphasised.
Additionally, the agency has implemented night and early morning cleaning and collection schedules to ensure that the streets and squares are cleaned for commuters and other users at the start of the business day.
Muir further explained that the concentration is in the town centres where much of the commercial waste is generated and infractions to proper waste management and disposal are made.
The agency has, therefore, stepped up enforcement to ensure that proper waste-disposal practices are observed to protect public health and prevent vector proliferation.
While there has been an appreciable level of compliance, Muir is appealing for greater care to be made in the disposal of waste in a manner that ensures the safety of sanitation workers and protection of the environment.
“Do not burn household garbage, grass, or shrubbery. Containerise paper and packaging, use grass for mulching, vegetable skins and peelings for composting, while cardboard boxes should be flattened or rolled to facilitate easier treatment with the compactor units,” he urged.
He is also imploring residents to freeze meat cuttings and spoilt food until collection days to prevent the spread of diseases and the stench in their communities.
As a safety tip, he advises householders to be wise in disposing of gift wrappings and boxes that may reveal the arrival of new equipment and appliances. He recommends that boxes are turned inside out to hide what was inside.
WPM schedules are posted daily on its social media platforms – FaceBook (WPM Waste) and Instagram (wpm_waste). WPM also does commercial collection.
Residents are encouraged to call the office – 876-953-6281-2 – to report any illegal dumping or garbage pile-up in their community.
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