NSWMA pushes composting to reduce pressure on trucks
Published:Tuesday | December 20, 2022 | 12:54 AMAlbert Ferguson/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
THE NATIONAL Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is seeking to get more Jamaicans to embrace the culture of composting in a bid to reduce the volume of waste being transported to the country’s landfills.
NSWMA Executive Director Audley Gordon noted that farmers can use organic waste to boost soil quality and improve agricultural yields.
He said that between 67 and 75 per cent of garbage now being collected by the state agency can be used in farming, backyard gardening, or flower gardens.
“We want to push composting because, depending on the statistics you chose to look at, if we can get the composting culture going, we would need fewer trucks [and] less acreage for disposal facilities,” said Gordon.
He argued that under the current practices, “by the time we get to some recycling and take out the recyclables, we would be down to literally nothing, so we could be heading to zero waste if we are able to change the culture of our people”.
In western Jamaica, waste collected in Trelawny, St James, Hanover, and Westmoreland is transported to the Retirement Landfill in St James.
Earlier this month, 50 new garbage trucks were added to the NSWMA’s islandwide fleet after months of complaints as garbage piled up in many communities, a situation largely blamed on an inadequate number of trucks.
Gordon noted that the attitude towards waste disposal will not change overnight and will require patience and the right communication tools.
Yuri Stephenson, Westmoreland parish manager for the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), supports the call for more composting.
He said that farmers were using more waste to nourish their crops and have been reaping the benefits, which include cost savings as they no longer rely totally on artificial fertilisers.
“If persons are interested, they can reach out to us at RADA. We will be too willing to provide the required assistance and training [on effective composting] in small groups,” Stephenson told The Gleaner.