Jamaican kids and entrepreneurs unite for recycling competition

Wisynco Group has launched a recycling competition for youngsters and local entrepreneurs in Jamaica, challenging them to collect 3 million discarded plastic bottles over the next nine months.

Jamaica’s leading food distributor and packaging producer Wisynco Group is calling on the nation’s kids to collect as many plastic bottles for recycling as they possibly can. Before the official launch in Kingston last Tuesday, ambitious recycling pledges from schools and companies alike have already flooded in.

Impressive action

With 98 912 bottles collected already, the first challenge round was won by Harrison Prepatory School. This ‘impressive achievement’ earned the school cheques of US$ 125 000 and US$ 200 000.

Various businesses have said they are aiming to collect at least 100 000 bottles to support the Wisynco Eco Club Schools’ Recycling Competition. In fact, in the two months before the contest went live, radio station ZIP 103 FM already managed to collect 96 932 plastic bottles.

‘Overwhelming support’

The total collected thus far stands at over 264 352 bottles, reports Shelly-Ann Dunkley, Wisynco Group’s environment communications officer. ‘We are truly overwhelmed with the amount of bottles we received since the start of the challenge,’ she says.

Based on the enthusiastic support from the island’s population – which is roughly 2.8 million – she is confident the target will be met. Local businesses and schools have even indicated they believe they may collect double the amount, thus raising the target to 6 million bottles collected for recycling.