KINGSTON, Jamaica — Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Daryl Vaz today welcomed the re-launch of the Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ) stating that he was proud to be the minister who assisted in championing the initiative.

RPJ, the country’s designated national recycling entity, said earlier this year, that it would be launching a larger, more comprehensive recycling programme in 2019. The re-launch was held at the AC Hotel by Marriot in New Kingston this morning (July 24).

Vaz who has responsibility for Land, Environment, Climate Change and Investment, at the re-launch, emphasised that his Government is wholeheartedly committed to working with environmental agencies in protecting Jamaica, and not just from plastic waste.

“We will continue working to ensure that our regulations and standards offer the necessary levels of protection to our natural environment and that these regulations are enforced.  Developing a culture of sustainability is difficult work and requires action, not only on the part of the Government but also buy-in from the private sector and the public, which is why the Recycling Partners of Jamaica (RPJ) is so special,” the minister said.

“This organisation has created a linkage between three integral groups that allows the policymakers, manufacturers, and distributors to combine their resources in order to engage and educate the public on recycling best practices and facilitate and incentivize waste collection,” Vaz added.

In the meantime, the minister highlighted that to date, only about 11 per cent of Jamaica’s plastic bottles are collected for recycling, a level of recovery, that he said is “woefully inadequate”.

“We are however working to improve this, which is why the Government had made, under a Memorandum of Understanding, an annual contribution of J$50 million towards the operations of the RPJ,” he said.

He noted that the private sector has also “put their money where their mouths are” by instituting a cess of J$1.00 per bottle which will allow for an initial private sector investment of J$850 million into the programme.

RPJ was founded in 2014 and is a registered non-profit organisation that was designed primarily to channel the recovery, collection and diversion of plastic bottles from entering Jamaica’s waste streams.

The RPJ was formed through a public/private partnership with the government, via the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, and several private partners.