Jamaica Environment Trust urges urgent action on plastic pollution
ON FEBRUARY 24 the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) conducted its second clean-up of Refuge Cay which marked a continuation of their efforts following an earlier clean-up in October 2023. Supported by 76 volunteers from Port Royal and The University of the West Indies Port Royal Marine Lab, the group removed 15,603 pounds of garbage, including refrigerators, toilets and tyres. The clean-ups were done as part of a project being funded by the UNDP implemented Global
Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) with additional funding from TeamSeas.
Refuge Cay stands as one of the few isolated mangrove islands within Kingston Harbour in the Palisadoes Port Royal Protected Area. It experiences a relentless accumulation of garbage, primarily plastics. This accumulation poses a significant threat to the diverse bird species dependent on the mangrove trees for roosting and nesting. In 2018, with support from the Kingston Freeport
Terminal Ltd, the UWI Port Royal Marine Lab spearheaded an extensive clean-up effort over six weeks with assistance from the Port Royal fishers, removing over 9,000 bags of garbage estimating at least 180,000 pounds and over 60 refrigerators.
STAGGERING
Reflecting on the clean-ups Rodriguez-Moodie, CEO of JET said, “The volume of garbage, which was predominantly plastics, was staggering. As we walked through the mangroves, all we could hear was the loud crunch of plastic. Nearly two feet of debris had to be cleared before the mangrove roots and soil were visible. Large items, such as fridges, toilets and stoves were removed. Microplastics, comprising small foam pieces and other broken pieces of plastic, were entwined within the soil or floating in the nearby coastal waters. These clean-up initiatives underscore the urgent need to reduce our use and reliance on plastics and improve our waste management practices.”
Given the site’s delicate ecosystem, accommodating large
numbers of volunteers remains challenging. Justin Saunders, programme director at JET, noted, “Despite the considerable amount of garbage removed, there likely remains at least 10 times as much, if not more, yet to be cleaned up. Regular clean-ups are imperative to restore the island’s condition. Regrettably, previous attempts to safeguard the island with waste barriers faltered due to theft of their anchors.”
Rodriguez-Moodie said, “We know the solutions to Jamaica’s solid waste crisis, but we must demonstrate our dedication to
environmental preservation by implementing them.”
JET is actively seeking support from the private sector and government to sustain future clean-ups of the island. Additionally, JET stresses the critical importance of developing and implementing a comprehensive solid waste management policy to effectively address Jamaica’s plastic problem. Such a policy should embody the principles of a ‘circular economy’, incorporating strategies for sustainable financing, waste minimisation, and fostering behavioural change.