The Government is expecting the soon-to-be-legislated deposit refund on plastic bottles to significantly improve recycling activities locally.

This will boost efforts to improve the country’s environmental and waste management thrust. To date, the scheme, which is voluntary, provides a cash refund to consumers who return their plastic bottles after use.

Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with responsibility for water, environment and climate change, Senator Matthew Samuda, said the initiative aims to increase the percentage of plastic bottles collected for recycling.

Samuda was addressing the Tourism Awareness Week 2023 tree-planting exercise on September 25 at Excelsior High School in Kingston.

“In the coming months, Jamaica will introduce deposit refund legislation. What we are going to be doing in Jamaica is to insist and ensure that recycling becomes part of who we are,” he said.

Samuda pointed out that currently, Jamaica recycles 22 per cent of its consumption, emphasising that this has to be significantly improved to intensify and expand the management of plastic waste across the island.

“You will have to pay a particular amount of money on a plastic bottle, and you will get it back when you bring it back. [In this way], we will be assured of collecting all the plastic bottles, keep it separate and significantly increase recycling in Jamaica. I believe that Jamaica can get to 85 per cent and lead the developing world in recycling efforts,” he said.

The minister pointed out that this effort will require widescale public participation for its success.