WPM Waste Management clears dump site in Montego Bay’s commercial district

WPM Waste Management Limited has cleared a dump site on North Street in Montego Bay, St James to improve sanitation and enhance the area’s appearance.

This exercise was carried out under the St. James Municipal Corporation’s ‘MoBay Step-Up’ Programme.

Launched last year, the initiative aims to enhance environmental protection and strengthen urban public order.

Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, said while the dump site was initially formalised, it had become a growing concern in recent years.

“It used to be illegal, and we had a programme in about 2020 where we formalised it; we built a picket fence around it [and] replaced a skip in the area. But for one reason or [another], the persons utilising this particular dump site have not done so with the highest level of tact and care. They have been disposing of the bulky waste [at the dump site],” he told journalists.

Vernon pointed out that due to the volume of bulky waste at the site, as well as other sanitary concerns, the dump had to be removed.

“So we are eradicating this dump site because the contents of it have become a nuisance. We are going to carry out the sensitisation exercise in partnership with WPM Waste Management under the MoBay Step-up Programme. We must pivot and think about how best we can manage waste within this district,” the Mayor stated.

He further indicated that business operators in the area will be inspected to ensure they have a contract with a private company or with WPM for waste removal.

“We will be installing surveillance cameras within this space so that persons who try to breach the stipulations that we are now putting in place, they will be faced with penalties. We are not afraid to enforce or to ensure that persons are prosecuted under the Litter Act and under the Solid Waste Management Act,” he declared.

“We will [also] be distributing some drums within the communities that are closest to this area as an alternative means [of waste disposal]. They will also get updates on the schedule as to when the trucks will be coming so that they can hold their waste and dispose of it when the truck is on location,” the mayor further indicated.

Vernon said public education activities will be carried out in the area and drums given to residents in the neighbouring community of Paradise Row to enable them to containerise their garbage.

Meanwhile, WPM Waste Management’s Public Cleansing Manager, Mark Jones, told JIS News that ongoing poor disposal practices and the migration of waste have plagued the area, ultimately leading to the removal of the site.

As a result, he said a ‘No Dumping’ sign will be installed to discourage illegal dumping in the area.

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