WPM Waste Management Limited is urging the public not to engage in the practice of illegal burning at the Retirement disposal site in St. James.

The entity’s community relations officer, Sharnon Williams, advised that one person was arrested in December in relation to arson at the facility.

Speaking during the St. James Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting on Thursday (January 11), Williams reported that the individual made three attempts to start the fire, which eventually ignited.

She pointed out, however, that the flames, which lasted less than eight hours, were extinguished using equipment based at the disposal site, and with the assistance of the Jamaica Fire Brigade.

Meanwhile WPM’S regional operations manager, Edward Muir, who also addressed the meeting, praised the Jamaica Constabulary Force for responding quickly to the incident.

“Commendations to the police for their swift actions in apprehending the suspect, as we continue to work closely with them,” he said.

Muir noted that the arrest served as a warning to other persons, pointing out that there have been no further attempts since then to light fires at the site.

He advised that WPM continues to institute additional measures to prevent further arson attempts.

Muir told the meeting that WPM is seeking to reduce the quantity of exposed waste at the site in order to improve the facility’s management.

“We are trying our best to ensure that we only have two acres exposed, so that we can be in a position to better manage the facility,” he indicated.

The operations manager added that WPM will be boosting its capacity to crack down on “litterbugs” in Montego Bay and wider communities across St James.

“We are … in the process of recruiting enforcement officers to assist us in identifying people who continue to disregard our public health safety, both in the city and communities,” Muir said.

– JIS