Filth and hazards on Waltham Park Road

The smell hits first.

It is nauseating, and the sight of piles of garbage is scarring. Amid potholes and contaminated water, Waltham Park Road in Kingston has become a hazardous mess.

Residents and commuters say the situation has persisted for years, with sewage and household waste regularly overflowing onto the roadway and sidewalks – a public- health risk and daily nightmare.

The contaminated water collects in potholes near roadkill and flows along the busy thoroughfare, forcing pedestrians to navigate the foul-smelling runoff while motorists dodge damaged sections of the road. Not everyone succeeds.

Last week, young students carefully skipping over the corrosive mixture left residents calling on authorities for stricter enforcement of litter laws.

“You see the rubbish right there? They are mostly from up the road and down that lane. People leave from way down there and throw their rubbish here. No matter how we, the residents, try to stop them, they are not listening,” fumed Desmond Henry.

Like many in the often volatile community, Henry declined full identification for this story for fear of victimisation. Off-camera, he spoke beside a pile of garbage at Waltham Park and Nelson roads.

“When the dead animals and other waste are here, the scent blows all over. But it’s not only the residents. Vans and cars also dump their rubbish,” explained Yvette Callendar* near a pile of garbage not far from Langard Avenue.

“When you talk to them, they curse you. Some drive away. Others tear open bags looking for bottles.”

Callendar said that while NSWMA trucks collect garbage regularly, residents and motorists’ actions result in heaps building up, particularly between Nelson Road and Langard Avenue.

HAVEN FOR RATS

The debris – household waste, appliances, cut trees, and industrial items – has become a haven for flies, rats, and roaches. Residents say the piles are somewhat bearable during hot days, but infants must be kept indoors after dusk.

Routine road repairs have left broken asphalt strewn along the roadside, creating additional hazards for pedestrians and motorists alike.

“We need this rubbish removed because it doesn’t look or smell good. People live and operate businesses here. Residents must do better, and anyone the police catch dumping must be punished,” said Maxine Jones*, another resident.

Audley Gordon, executive director of the NSWMA, said Waltham Park Road is not the only filthy thoroughfare in Kingston, citing a persistent culture of illegal dumping.

“You travel all over the world; which country allows people to throw old mattresses, stoves, and fridges on the roadside or chop down a tree and leave it on the sidewalk?” he asked rhetorically.

Gordon explained that bulky waste requires special arrangements as regular garbage trucks cannot carry such items. He urged residents to call the NSWMA to schedule pickups, coordinating with neighbours where possible – a challenge in inner-city areas.

Under Jamaica’s anti-litter laws, it is an offence to dispose of garbage in public places, on private property without permission, or in unauthorised areas. Fines range from $2,000 for littering in public spaces, upwards to $1 million, along with imprisonment for larger offences.

corey.robinson@gleanerjm.com