The Swire Shipping Agency on Monday 25th August received ten (10) new wheelie bins to commence its 50 days cleanup campaign.
The wheelie bins were donated by the National Capital District Commission (NCDC), through the Director for NCDC Community Services Mr. James Ume and the Manager for NCDC Waste Management, Mr. John Navara.
There to receive the items was Mr. Ian Stewart, Swire Shipping Agency’s Regional Commercial Manager PNG/ Solomon Islands, who said the wheelie bins donated will go to good use under their Swire Shipping Agency community program.
“These wheelie bins will purposely go towards our 50 days of nationwide waste activities to commemorate PNG’s 50th Golden Jubilee Independence celebrations,” said Mr. Stewart.
The presentation of the wheelie bins was made at Tarpot, Alu Building, to promote public-private partnership for the 3Rs campaign: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle waste in NCD schools and suburban communities.
Meanwhile, NCDC Waste Management Manager, Mr. John Navara, said they have also given out
150 wheelie bins to 22 schools in Port Moresby city.
“These wheelie bins have also been color-coded/labelled for general waste and recycling waste before being donated to schools.”
The rapid urbanization and changing lifestyles have led to the generation of huge volumes of waste over the years. As the city authority, NCDC is charged with the responsibility of managing the city’s diverse streams of waste with the ultimate aim of protecting public health and the environment from the impacts of waste.
Director James Ume of the NCDC Community Services said recycling is important, although many citizens are not serious about recycling, it is one way of reducing rubbish in the city.
“Papua New Guinean’s have attitude problems that need changing; we have to empower them and motivate them to do the right thing,” said Ume.
“Only through awareness and education, will we be able to change the mindset of our people and change their outlook on how they see rubbish.”