Earth Today | Six companies step up to recycle challenge

THE GLEANER Company is among the six companies that have signed on to the Wisynco Eco-led Recycle Challenge to collect a minimum of 100,000 plastic bottles over seven weeks.

 The others participating in the challenge, launched Monday by the corporate social responsibility arm of the Wisynco Group, are:

- Chad-Ad Distributors Limited, suppliers of name-brand motor vehicle tyres, batteries and lubricants;

- Used and new car dealers Fidelity Motors;

- Construction firm Tank-Weld;

- Chilitos JaMexican restaurant; and

- Radio station ZIP FM.

"Our six corporate challengers are looking forward to not only bringing in bottles, but also to increasing overall awareness for the need to recycle," said Shelly-Ann Dunkley, environment communication officer with Wisynco.

"Through our partnership with these six companies, we hope to spark a conversation and a call to action around proper recycling in the hopes of influencing our nation. May 28th marks the start of Jamaica's 'Recycle Revolution'," she added.

The challenge comes amid growing global concern over plastic consumption, from microplastics, present in many personal care and cosmetic products, to polyethylene terephthalate, such as water bottles, and high-density polyethylene, including detergent and motor oil bottles that are the focus of the local corporate challenge.

Much of those plastics make their way to the ocean, causing pollution and presenting problems for marine ecosystems, and Jamaica and the Caribbean's bottom line.

Coral reef species, crucial for healthy fish populations and the coastal environment and which provide US$375 million in goods and services annually, for example, have diminished in the Caribbean by some 90 per cent, according to statistics from UN Environment/Caribbean Environment Programme. Pollution has been a contributing factor.

Yielded tonnes of plastic

Meanwhile, over two years, Wisynco ECO's efforts at recycling, through its schools' programme alone, have seen the collection of more than three million plastic bottles. At the same time, the efforts of entities, such as the Jamaica Environment Trust, which coordinates International Coastal Clean-Up annually, has yielded tonnes of plastic trash from across Jamaica's shores.

Recycling is one effective response to that.

"Everybody needs to know what is happening, where they can recycle, and we want to make it easier for them," Dunkley told The Gleaner last week.

Companies participating in the challenge have been provided with cages for the collection of the plastics.

"The cages are placed at their facilities and everybody is able to drop off their bags. Recycling Partners of Jamaica will do the collection," Dunkley said.

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