Plastics are a source of great concern for environmentalists the world over. Improperly discarded plastic products end up in drainage systems, causing problems like flooding and ultimately in our oceans where they create a myriad of problems.
According to the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), “More than 8 million tons of plastic end up in our oceans globally, each year, adversely impacting ecosystems, biodiversity and potentially human health.” At home, “Every September, on International Coastal Cleanup Day in Jamaica, plastic is the most collected material. In 2019, the top 10 items collected were all single-use plastic and polystyrene (foam) waste, anything from plastic bottles to food wrappers.”[1]
To help solve the problem of plastics damaging the environment, several entities have begun to pay persons in Jamaica to recycle their plastics instead of discarding them improperly. The Deposit Refund Scheme for Plastic Bottles was initiated in 2019 and provides a cash refund to persons who return their plastic bottles. “Depositors will be paid a minimum of $1 for each polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottle delivered to Recycling Partners of Jamaica depots across the island.”[2] Since then, RPJ has increased the price it pays for plastic bottles brought to its depots to $10 per pound.
Residents of the coastal Kingston community, Rae Town are also involved in creative recycling and upcycling initiatives that earn them money from collected plastic bottles. The neighborhood was facing significant challenges from plastic pollution. Since 2018, however, the UNEP’s Caribbean Sub-Regional Office and its International Environmental Technology Centre have been working with the Government of Jamaica and the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) on a Plastic Waste Minimization Project.
In November 2019, a flagship Plastic Recycling Pilot Project was launched that encouraged Rae Town residents to participate in clean-up activities following the 4 R’s of Refuse, Reuse, Reduce, Recycle. Up to January 2021, residents had collected 6,974 pounds of plastic from their local environment and shoreline and turned them into everything from plant pots to playground furniture in collaboration with 360 Recycle (a local social enterprise that manufactures and sells recycled plastic products).
Turning a problem into an income generator is truly one example of the creativity and resourcefulness of the Jamaican people.
#earningfromplastic #plasticbottle #NEPA #UNEP #coastalcleanup
[1] https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/jamaica-plastics-ban-creates-new-opportunities
[2] https://jis.gov.jm/deposit-refund-scheme-for-plastic-bottles-now-in-place/
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