There are some international observances that garner much fanfare while others seemingly occur in obscurity. But bells and whistles are no indication of importance.

Wednesday, March 18, 2026 was recognised as Global Recycling Day, but many of us — even the reasonably informed — might well have missed it.

Though strides have been made with polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, recycling has not caught on as a habit in any significant way and the nation struggles with proper waste management.

Our local National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) placed special emphasis on electronic waste as part of its programme for the day using the theme ‘Don’t Think Waste, Think Opportunity’.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), e-waste includes discarded electronic devices such as cellphones, laptops, tablets, chargers, and other equipment containing electrical components or plugs. It may also include unwanted televisions, refrigerators, and other appliances powered by batteries or electricity.

These days in the basic run of our lives more and more we create e-waste; much of it can be recycled.

Addressing a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank, NSWMA Executive Director Mr Audley Gordon noted that Global Recycling Day provides an opportunity to boost public awareness about the proper handling and disposal of electronic devices.

“We want to penetrate the headspace of the populace… so we stay with the e-waste aspect of recycling,” he is quoted as saying.

NSWMA hosted some activities on Wednesday, including clean-up exercises, e-waste collection drives, and public education initiatives, but none was able to pierce through the din of everyday activities.

There is the rub.

The lukewarm way in which such activities are fuelled and funded results in anaemic support.

The widespread generation of e-waste — waste in general — demands an equally far-reaching thrust to educate the nation that action on the back end is necessary or we risk being overrun.

Improper handling and disposal of e-waste can pose serious threats to life, crops, and the environment. Vulnerable groups, especially children and pregnant women, face heightened risks from hazardous pollutants such as lead, which are commonly released through e-waste. There are also reportedly significant health risks, as hazardous substances such as mercury and lead — critical elements found in most electronic devices — can leak from damaged components like motherboards.

The spin-offs of Global Recycling Day need to result in behaviour change for the good of all.

Mr Gordon admits that, “[W]hat we’re up against is culture, and nowhere in the world can culture be resolved or changed overnight,” so we in this space encourage him and his team to push, and push hard, so that the change that matters will start to happen.

For her part, NSWMA Community Relations Manager Ms Sharnon Williams said: “We believe there has not been enough discussion surrounding e-waste… Many persons are not aware of how to properly dispose of these types of waste or the dangers associated with them.”

It is heartening to know that firms such as INET Jamaica Limited, partnering with NSWMA, engage in e-waste collection.

“Once you have a phone, or whatever, and it is no longer fit for purpose, please put it away safely and call us or make arrangements for a registered licensed handler of e-waste to come and get it,” advised its CEO Mr Kirk-Lyle Hall.

What’s more, individuals are also being encouraged to take advantage of designated drop-off locations.

Greater public participation will be essential in improving Jamaica’s recycling rate for e-waste and impact our quality of life in this modern era.