Kingston Wharves undertook a major clean-up and recycling in sections of the Newport West community as part of International Coastal Clean-up Day on Saturday, September 16.
With the support of other port partners which included Signature Freight, Xars, Kingsley Shipping and Coates Logistics, KWL volunteers fanned out throughout the community. They carried out clean-up and recycling along sections of First Street, Second Street and Third Street. Areas in the vicinity of 4th Avenue were also targeted.
International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) Day takes place on the third Saturday in September every year, and is the largest one-day volunteer event in the world.
The Jamaica Environment Trust website noted that for over three decades, the Ocean Conservancy in Texas has been coordinating volunteers across the globe to collect millions of pounds of trash in over 100 countries. This year the focus was on recycling under the theme #SeatheChange.
Simone Murdock, Corporate Services and Client Experience Manager at KWL noted that International Coastal Clean-up Day aligned with Kingston Wharves’ focus on achieving excellence in its Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) policy and its adherence to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“This is the fourth year we are undertaking a clean-up of our port community; this year we also focused heavily on recycling. Earlier this year, as part of the observance of Earth Day, we also carried out a recycling project in our port community that incorporated vendors and other stakeholders,” Mrs. Murdock said.
Mrs. Murdock observed that there is growing interest within the port community in ensuring that everyone comes together to build a sustainable port community.
“Kingston Wharves and other members of the port community do business in a coastal community and it is critical that we undertake climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies, including ensuring that we help to protect our oceans; our lives and livelihood depends on it,” Mrs. Murdock noted.