Everyone likes to talk about their surroundings needing to be cleaned, but as we look around our beautiful island, we begin to see that not everyone lives up to their talk. Unfortunately, we know at least one person that will clean their homes to the point of looking like a model unit, but would later that very day, throw the garbage cleaned from their homes into a gully, or toss a plastic bottle from a taxi window, so they don’t litter the vehicle.

The state of Jamaica’s waste situation is evidence that while Jamaicans may take great pride in their personal surroundings, they fail to see the impact their carelessness for the wider environment is having and will eventually have on their personal spaces.

So, while the obvious benefit of recycling is a cleaner environment, at least of plastic bottles, there is another benefit that may make the habit more enticing – the financial reward.

Recycling Partners of Jamaica implemented a Deposit Return Scheme, DRS, which pays $50 per kilogram for the return of plastic bottles to any of its recycling depots, located in St. Mary, St. Catherine, St. Thomas, Manchester, Westmoreland and St. James. To find these locations, follow the link: https://recyclingja.com/drop-off-locations​

They also offer a collection service, free of charge. However, the DRS payment dips slightly to $48 per kilogram of plastics, when this service is used.

Start Earning Today!

To benefit from the DRS, simply:

1. Register for payment via the website, https://recyclingja.com/sign-up-for-payment​
2. Collect plastic bottles from the environment or save them in your personal space
3. Ensure the plastic bottles collected are either PET (1) or HDPE (2). Look at the bottom for the number enclosed in a triangular symbol.
4. Ensure the plastics are empty, not excessively dirty, shredded or breaking apart. Include the caps as well if they are available.
5. Bag them separately from regular garbage
6. Take the plastics to any of the depots listed on our website or call our Logistics team at 876-528-8218 to schedule a collection.
7. Payment will be issued on 68 kilograms (150 pounds) or more. This total can be accumulated over time. The more you recycle, the more you earn!

The next time you see plastic bottles lying around, whether in your personal spaces or the wider environment, think about how you could be making money from recycling, while making Jamaica a cleaner place.

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