On Saturday, September 17, 2016 a total of 112 volunteers joined the Portmore Municipal Council in the International Coastal Cleanup campaign in ridding sections of the Port Henderson coastline, from waste. Clean up activities were carried out by the Council at two (2) locations, Port Henderson Beach (Fun City) and McMaster's Open Lot. Clean up activities got underway at approximately 7:00 am and ended at 11:00 am.
One Hundred and Twenty Four (124) trash bags were filled. Not all plastic bottles were sent to the dump. Those fit for recycling were packaged separately and collected by Recycling Partners of Jamaica. National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) also gave great support in collecting and transporting other debris to the Riverton Dump.
The success of the cleanup could not have been possible without the assistance of the following groups:
- Jamaica Red Cross - Portmore Group
- Kiwanis (Greater Portmore & Linstead)
- HEART College of Construction Services
- PMAC Enterprise
- Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC)
- International Youth Group (Spanish Town)
- Portmore Community College
- ODPEM
- Portmore Municipal Council Staff
- Other Individuals
Garbage was documented in order to provide Jamaica Environmental Trust (JET) with baseline data of the type and volume of waste that were removed from our coastline. These debris are a threat to human health and safety and endangers marine wildlife. They also place unnecessary financial pressure on the Government to restore communities impacted by disastrous events as they are the same debris that find its way into storm water drain causing flooding, breeding site for mosquito infestation, rats and other rodents.
Total weight of garbage collected from both Port Henderson Beach and McMaster's Open Lot was 1,860 pounds with plastic bottles accounting for approximately 1,215 pounds.
Incentives - In honoring participants willingness to support the Municipal Council in the 2016 International Coastal Clean Up, volunteers were given Shopper Tote (Grocery bag) and Water Bottles promoting "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle...Save the Environment".