NSWMA appeals to motorists to stop tossing rubbish from vehicles

Motorists and their passengers are being asked to stop flinging rubbish from moving vehicles, with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) warning that the habit is doing real damage to Jamaica's drainage system and environment.

Sharnon Williams, the agency's Community Relations Manager, is recommending that drivers keep a litter bag in the cabin so that wrappers, bottles and other waste can be held on to until a proper bin is reached.

"From time to time, we may have a snack on the road. While we're travelling, we may be hungry, and we want to eat ... sometimes there may not be a readily available bin, but we want to encourage Jamaicans [to] keep that waste until they find a bin," Williams said.

She cautioned that even seemingly minor items can carry heavy environmental costs, with discarded packaging contributing to worsened flooding as the island moves toward the hurricane season.

"When you litter, the waste will clog the drains and it will cause flooding," she pointed out. "It is very important for people to understand that one plastic bottle, one bag of banana chips, they all accumulate, and can be devastating to our lives and to our property," she added.

Williams emphasised that environmental stewardship is a shared duty, noting that holding on to one's own rubbish and gently checking others who litter are small steps that can leave communities cleaner and safer.