Portland to get plastics redemption centre

Buff Bay, Portland

In an attempt to preserve the environment against improper disposal of plastic material, ground was broken last Thursday for the construction of plastics redemption centre on properties owned by Portland-based spring water-bottling company, Lifespan Limited.

The ground-breaking ceremony, which involved two key parties in Lifespan, from Spring Gardens in Buff Bay, along with Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ), also attracted other players including the Portland Municipal Corporation, Pepsi Cola, and the Alligator Head Foundation.

Nayana Williams, CEO and managing director of Lifespan, said it was a significant milestone for Portland, the environment, and Lifespan, which has managed to formalise a new partnership with the RPJ through the signing of a memorandum of understanding.

“As part of this partnership, RPJ is establishing a redemption centre on a quarter-acre of property here in Portland at no charge,” Williams said.

“This centre will provide a much-needed space for the collection of plastic bottles and containers for recycling, which will in turn help to reduce plastic waste in our environment, protect the natural beauty of our country, and support a more sustainable future for all. At Lifespan we are deeply committed to safeguarding our environment. As a company that draws its inspiration and its life-blood from the pristine waters of Portland, we recognise that we have a special responsibility to preserve our island’s natural beauty.

“Our spring flows from the heart of the Blue Mountains, one of the most remarkable natural landscapes in the world. I must acknowledge the growing threat that litter poses to our environment. Every discarded bottle, every piece of trash left on the roadside, every clogged drain speaks to a problem that has become all too common in our communities. We must not ignore the effect that littering has on our watersheds and wildlife,” she added.

Actual work on the plastic redemption centre is to begin about January with the preparation of the site slated to begin in short order. A timeline for the completion of the actual construction and the commencement of full operations has been set for about May 2025.

‘A great deal of satisfaction’

In the meantime, RPJ Executive Chairman Dr Damien King highlighted the importance of the partnership which, according to him, will also allow for the collection and storage of recycled plastic materials, therefore reducing the negative impact on the environment, especially water ways and beaches.

“I came to Portland and visited more potential sites for the beginning of what we are doing today than anywhere else,” King commented.

“Finally Lifespan reached out to us and suggested this possible location and their interest in being a partner. I say this to say that this is the culmination of a long process and a reason for us to feel, not a sense of achievement, because this is the beginning, but to feel a great deal of satisfaction that it is the reason we are all here. Recycling Partners of Jamaica is an example of the extended producer responsibility of an organisation. It is the producers who have taken responsibility for managing the consequences of the business they are in.

“We have increased the collection of plastic bottles in Jamaica from five or six per cent when we started all the way now to be well over 40 per cent and on our way to 50 per cent. No other country has made so much progress in so short a time.”

editorial@gleanerjm.com