MONTEGO BAY, St James — Half Moon Hotel in St James has plans to turn its empty wine bottles into sand this year. The project comes on the heels of success reaped from a farm-to-table programme in 2022 that has been supplementing the hotel’s vegetable supplies.

Ian Smith, estate manager at Half Moon, spoke about the wine bottle project while sharing the hotel’s sustainability and business integration story during the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s (MBCCI’s) workforce development and tourism linkages field day project press launch. It was held at Hotel 39 in Montego Bay last Thursday.

“We are going to lease a unit this year which crushes wine bottles, which really have no other use really on the island. We crush wine bottles [and] any other kinds of bottles that can produce either coarse sand material — which can be used in construction — or can reduce it to either finer beach sand which can be used on the beach itself,” Smith told the Jamaica Observer.

“We have seen the proof of it. Unbelievable! It’s amazing! When it comes out the shredder you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between it and regular beach sand. And it isn’t something that you would say will cut your foot; no issues with that at all,” he assured.

The estate manager said the hotel is now eager to determine the volume of sand that will be generated from the proposed venture.

“Obviously the hotel produces a lot of bottles each year which really can’t be recycled. So we are now going to be in a learning state, but we really see where we can use this for our inventory,” he said.

Half Moon’s sustainability thrust has provided teachable moments over the years. According to Nadine Spence, committee chair of the project, the programme saw students from five participating schools visiting the hotel as well as Rural Agricultural Development Authority.

“The participants discovered how the Half Moon Hotel has seamlessly integrated sustainability into its operations, positioning itself as a leader in the Caribbean hospitality industry. Through innovative practices and a commitment to environmental stewardship, the hotel has set a benchmark for sustainability and business integration in the region,” said Spence, who is also second vice-president of the MBCCI.

Smith said Half Moon will also extend the farm-to-table programme this year.

“Our hotel has been very integral with the Montego Bay Chamber of Commerce over the past two years to show them the farm-to-table project. Now, as we add the hydroponic component, this will even be more interesting to the students.“

Oral Heaven, president of MBCCI, also described the project as a success.

“It’s about boosting agriculture and the business of agriculture from the educational level so children see the value and importance of farming to the society,” he said.