NSWMA putting in place emergency measures for hurricane season

Jamaica's National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) is preparing a robust response for the 2026 Atlantic Hurricane Season, incorporating lessons learned from Hurricane Melissa's impact in October 2025. Minister of Local Government and Community Development, Desmond McKenzie, outlined these measures during the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

Key emergency preparations include pre-positioning equipment and personnel in strategic locations 48 hours before a hurricane's arrival. The authority will also maintain a 30% fuel reserve and essential supplies to sustain operations for at least 72 hours post-disaster. Agreements are being finalized with suppliers and contractors to ensure access to additional fuel and heavy equipment when needed for disaster response.

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Agreements are also being developed with suppliers and contractors to provide additional fuel and heavy equipment for disaster response.

Furthermore, the NSWMA will identify and prepare alternative waste disposal sites in case official sites become inaccessible. This proactive approach follows significant debris removal efforts after Hurricane Melissa, where Phase One cleared over 27,000 loads of debris and Phase Two removed more than 21,000 truck-loads. The government provided $500 million for Phase One and $1 billion for Phase Two of the National Clean-Up Programme.

Minister McKenzie also announced a $200-million public education campaign for the current fiscal year, aimed at promoting proper waste disposal and civic responsibility under the motto 'Jamaica's Beauty is our Duty.' He urged citizens to reduce illegal dumping and littering, noting that over 2,300 anti-litter tickets and 9,000 litter-removal notices were issued last year. The NSWMA is also working to shorten waste-collection schedules, aiming for regular collection every seven to 10 days across the country's 4,275 districts, with ongoing repairs to 80 garbage trucks to support this goal.

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I am making a special appeal to our citizens to practise the NSWMA’s motto in their daily lives, ‘Jamaica’s Beauty is our Duty’. The agency’s target of collecting 1.2 million tonnes of waste this year will be far easier to achieve if practices such as illegal dumping and the casual throwing of garbage onto the streets are significantly reduced.