Managing Director Jerome Maxwell and Administrative Assistant Camille Wallen examine one of the bins used to establish a recycling corner. - George Henry

Employees of Jamalco recently launched a project - Greenworks - which has them recycling plastic bottles and paper.

The employees have united with employees of other Jamalco plants worldwide in an effort to green their communities, generate awareness of the company's environmental programmes, and celebrate Earth Day, which was on April 22, and World Environment Day on June 5.

At the local Jamalco plant in Clarendon, Greenworks

is continuing a recycling initiative which was started by Claudette Harris and her information systems team. As part of the plan, employees will place bottles and shredded paper in separate containers for collection.

future benefit

Jerome Maxwell, the bauxite company's managing director, urged his staff to participate in what is said to be Phase One of the project. He explained that the current project is the beginning of a programme to recycle all that the staff at Jamalco can so that they can effectively do their part to protect the environment for the future benefit of Jamaica's children.

"In the second phase of the project, all other departments will participate as other waste material will be recycled with the long-term plan being to close the Jamalco landfill," said Maxwell.

It is understood that special recycling corners have been established in offices across the locations, and these are equipped with two containers to collect the two types of bottles. Shredded paper is placed in transparent bags.

Bottles are currently being collected to be transported to the Jamaica Environment Trust or the Protect the Environment Trust and the paper to Hear the Children's Cry, both located in Kingston.