A pilot waste-management initiative spearheaded by St Catherine North Western Member of Parliament Damion Crawford is already drawing praise from residents and business operators in Linstead, who say the town centre is noticeably cleaner just weeks after its launch.The project aims to improve the cleanliness, appearance and environmental sustainability of the Linstead town centre while encouraging greater civic responsibility among residents, vendors and business operators.Developed in partnership with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and other stakeholders, the initiative has placed about 200 specially marked garbage bins at illegal dumping sites and other locations across the town.Speaking at Monday’s launch after touring several of the town’s chronic dumping hotspots with NSWMA Director of Operations Althea McFarlane and Regional Operations Manager Tracy de Montagnac-Fakhourie, Crawford said the project was beginning to address one of Linstead’s most persistent sanitation problems.“This is our home and we have to make sure it is clean. It’s the nerve of the constituency and the commercial viability, so we are trying to make sure it is acceptable to both the sight and health of the citizens,” Crawford said.He said the initiative was informed by an assessment of the factors contributing to the chronic build-up of garbage in the town centre. The review identified inadequate waste containment as one of the main causes.Crawford disclosed that the assessment also examined how market vending contributes to the accumulation of garbage, prompting a commitment from the mayor to increase collections to three times a week and repair an incinerator at the market.According to Crawford, early results suggest that easier access to disposal facilities has encouraged more responsible behaviour. Motorists, he noted, have been seen removing garbage from their vehicles and placing it in the designated bins.‘ VERY IMPRESSIVE’Businesswoman Lattala Lee said the improvement had been evident since the project began.“Very impressive. I am not seeing rodents around anymore and the area before my business place has change significantly,” she told The Gleaner.Former Medical Officer of Health for Linstead Dr Kadajah Kotaish, whose private practice is located near a former makeshift dumping site opposite the market, described the transformation as significant.“I can breathe a sigh of relief, the area was an eyesore before. Now I am seeing great improvements,” he said, adding that the initiative should reduce the risk of a major public health crisis.Resident Tamara Blair also welcomed the changes.“Things are looking much better. The only problem is some persons are still not using the containers,” she said, describing those individuals as nasty.Blair added that more frequent NSWMA collections had helped ensure the system was functioning effectively.De Montagnac-Fakhourie said the improvements demonstrated what could be achieved through collaboration among the agency, elected representatives, businesses and residents.“We know that we have issues such as narrow streets, communities that are not easily accessible by the trucks, but also the vending that poses a great challenge. So, bringing the whole concept of civic pride into our people and community will enhance any effort such as this,” she said, adding that the pilot project was worthy of replication across the country.She also reaffirmed the NSWMA’s commitment to maintaining consistent garbage collection to support the initiative’s long-term success.ruddy.mathison@gleaner.com