Panther Corporation of Canada sets up Solar Powered Recycling Center - Investing in The Apparition of Jamaica's Waste Management Problem

The country spends billions per year on waste management through the National Solid Waste Management Authority, and with the introduction of this player in the industry, it will help us to cut our costs, preserve the environment, and open up doors for employment

Chairman of the St James Parish Council and Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris, June 2012AD

Only in Jamaica folks, do we have waste and fail to see the fact that it’s really money. The Canadians again to our rescue, as Panther Corporation of Canada has decided to invest US$26 million in a rapid build-out of a completely Solar-powered Recycling Plant as stated in the article “Cashing in on waste”, published Sunday June 24 by Sheena Gayle, Sunday Gleaner Writer, The Jamaica Gleaner. 

That’s right folks; Panther is more than just a brand of condoms! To be honest I though that’s what they were coming to Jamaica to make. In a way, what they are planning to do will be just as profitable, though, as in much the same way sex is unavoidable, so is the generation of Waste.

The Solar-powered Recycling Plant will begin operation by September 2012AD, effectively three (3) months after this article first broke light, pun intended deliberately….and just ripe for my blog.

They began the process of hiring people in August 2012AD, initially two hundred (200) core employee via a curious employment process – demonstrating your commitment to a Recycling Project for one day pro bono as  noted in the article “Recycling company seeking 200 workers in western Jamaica” Published Tuesday August 28, 2012 2:04 pm, The Jamaica Gleaner.

This curious employment strategy, which is focused mainly on the people who live in Western Jamaica, is best explained by CEO and Founder Michael Mosgrove quote: “The one-day voluntary clause that has been attached to this employment drive is to observe how committed applicants are to the process of Recycling and to the job that they are applying for. We have various Recycling-based jobs available as well as administrative jobs so persons are encouraged to submit a detailed resume and we will match your skill sets with the jobs we have”.

A very clever way of matching skills and demonstrating a true commitment to changing Jamaica via spreading the Gospel of Recycling!

Interestingly enough, aside from generating revenue and the ability to sell back the excess Electricity to the JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company) Grid via the Net billing Facility now in place since May 2012AD as noted in my blog article entitled “Phillip Paulwell makes Net Billing official with 11 licenses issued - JPS Co invited via Mavado's Come Round a Mi Yard”, it will also generated approximately five thousand (5000) jobs both directly and indirectly.

The GOJ (Government of Jamaica) and especially the Chairman of the St James Parish Council and Mayor of Montego Bay Glendon Harris were definitely showing their love for the FDI (Foreign Direct Investor) coming to Jamaica by welcoming Panther Corporation of Canada with open arms, quote: “We are committed to keeping the city clean, creating jobs, and increasing the level of foreign investments in the city. This represents a first for the parish of St James, which is why the council took a unanimous decision to allow this development to go through”.

In essence, the Panther Corporation of Canada’s plan is to make money from Jamaica’s inability to manage its waste via Recycling, an idea suggested to the NSWMA (National Solid Waste Management Authority) in my previous blog article entitled “NSWMA can benefit from coming Lithium Demand from All-Electric Vehicle  - The Beverly Hillbillies go Electric”.

At least my prediction of a renaissance in Scrap Metal due to the demand for Aluminum to make All-Electric Vehicles as prophesied in my previous blog article entitled “US Automobile Industry Resurgence and Jamaica's Bauxite Industry - Scrap Metal Industry Renaissance” is coming to pass!

This as the GOJ has given the green light towards Scrap Metal return with four (4) Scrap Yards already being short listed as checking areas for legitimate Scrap Metal Dealers as stated in the article “Four sites shortlisted for scrap metal trade resumption” , published Friday, September 07, 2012, The Jamaica Observer.

A boon to those involved in the Scrap Metal Industry as it is a US$100 million money earner, despite the looming possibility of the trade encouraging Scrap Metal theft, based on the recent attempt by armed Scrap Metal thieves to break into JPS Co Metal Scrap Yard on Saturday  August 25^th 2012 as stated in the article “Armed scrap metal thieves attack JPS”, published Sunday, August 26, 2012, The Jamaica Observer.

It however, is a death knell to the Telecoms Industry suffering from theft of its Copper Cables which has a direct impact on their ability to provide service as noted in blog article entitled “LIME and the Ban on Copper Exports - Scrap Metal Industry's Black Swan”. The return of Scrap Metal Industry may soon generate more headlines about Scrap Metal Dealers stealing metal from GOJ, Telecoms Providers and JPS Co Infrastructure.

Thus this new entrant into the business of collecting what we Jamaicans see as waste [Recycling] in order to make profit should not come as surprise, especially with their focus on Recycling all forms of waste. Their plans are simple enough: 30,000 square foot modular facility in Retirement, St James, close to the Retirement Dump, the source of their raw material, with the intention to Recycle both organic and Inorganic waste:

1.      HDPE Plastic

2.      PETE Plastic

3.      Paper

4.      Styrofoam

5.      Rubber

6.      Wood chips

7.      Rare Earth Metal from RDA (Residue Disposal Area)

8.      Organic Waste i.e. food

9.      Sewage

10.  Water

11.  Rainwater

12.  Oxalate from Process at Bauxite Companies e.g. JAMALCO and Ewarton

13.  Cooking Oil

14.  Electronic Waste

15.  Printer Cartridges

CEO and Founder Michael Mosgrove in a telephone interview with The Jamaica Gleaner, expressed excitement with the prospect of coming to Jamaica, quote: “It was a perfect fit for Jamaica and for us because of the sunlight. In addition, the demand for Recycling in Jamaica is huge right now”.

The logic behind the choice to go Solar is obvious, as Jamaica’s abnormally high Electricity Rates and lack of a Liberalized Electricity Production and Distribution Market means that the sole producer of Electricity on the island, JPS Co (Jamaica Public Service Company) has no competition. Thus their high Electricity Rates act as the real deterrant to doing Recycling in Jamaica profitably.

This is evident from the comments of the Canadian investor Michael Mosgrove, quote: “The Recycling centre will be able to run on 600 volts on the Solar system for eight hours a day without grid power. The Solar system cost US$4.2 million and will pay for itself in six years. It is a completely green facility and will be the first of its kind in the world”.

Strides are being made on a Legal front, with the recent victory handed to CURE (Citizens United for the Reduction of Electricity Rates) by Supreme Court Justice Brian Sykes against JPS Co and the GOJ (Government of Jamaica) as chronicles in my blog article entitled “Justice Brian Sykes says JPS Co exclusive license invalid - Energy Sector Liberalization CURE and Bourne Legacy for Phillip Paulwell” but nothing solid, as JPS Co seeks to appeal this ruling.

It’s also good to remember that competition in the Energy Sector in the form of Canadian Solamon Corp of Canada and American based Green Energy RG as note in my blog article entitled “Solamon Energy Corp & Green RG invest in Jamaica's Alternative Energy Future - Let the Cheaper Energy Hunger Games for Latin America Begin” is coming, albeit their development appears to be moving at a glacial pace.

Thus, until Electricity Distribution Liberalization is achieved, to operate cost-effectively, Panther Corporation of Canada has to have secured markets for their Recycled material as well as lower inputs independent of the JPS Grid via its US$4.2 million investment in Solar Power. The mere fact that they have apparently factored in their Investment in Solar Power, despite its considerable cost  with plans of recouping their investment in their own power system in the next six (6) years indicate their long-term commitment to Jamaica.

The GOJ needs to do its part by implementing an Environmental Tax Legislation on Plastic and other Organic Waste. This could then be used to provide funding to Local and Foreign investors in Organic and Inorganic Waste Recycling as well as being an incentive for many Jamaicans to return their plastic bottles just as they do Glass bottles instead of throwing them away in gullies.

In addition, it would also encourage increased local investment in Recycling other things than Metal and for persons selling Plastic and other easy-to-Recycle material to go into collecting and Recycling to supply the Panther Corporation Plant. It would help investors in Recycling offset the costs of Recycling Plastic, which is already in glut on the world market as noted in the article “RECYCLE WORRY - Plastic bottles flood Jamaica”, Published Sunday September 2, 2012, The Jamaica Gleaner.

Even if the GOJ refuses to do this, Panther Corporation of Canada can still set up Branded Recycling Bins and even ATM (Automated Teller Machines) styled Vending Machines in Stores and Business places. These ATM (Automated Teller Machines) styled Vending Machines would pay you cash or Mobile Phone Credit from Telecom Provider Digicel or Telecom Provider LIME for sorting and disposing of Recycled materials.

This is much as is the case in Beijing China, where the Central Government encourages Recycling in exchange for Subway Tokens as noted in the article “Beijing introduces Recycling banks that pay subway credits for bottles”, published Wednesday 4 July 2012 13.11 BST by Jonathan Watts, The UK Guardian.

After all, Telecom Provider Digicel had spearheaded a mobile phone Recycling project back in August 2009AD as stated in the article “Digicel launches phone Recycling programme” published Thursday, August 13, 2009, The Jamaica Observer. They also launched a Solar Powered mobile Phone when they were in El Salvador and Honduras as stated in “DIGICEL TO PROVIDE LOW-COST, SOLAR POWERED MOBILE PHONE”, published Wednesday, May 06, 2009, The Jamaica Observer, albeit mainly due to the lack of Power Outlets in those regions.

Telecom Provider Digicel is also nearing the completion of its fully Solar Powered Headquarters off Ocean Boulevard in the heart of Downtown, Kingston as stated in my blog article entitled “Digicel adds on Green Power to future Corporate Building - Petula Clarke's Downtown Global Warming Crisis” and my Geezam blog article entitled “Digicel Jamaica’s Alternative Energy Future – Increased Electricity Bills and Energy Sector Opportunities collide”.

So a partnership with Panther Corporation of Canada to sell more phone Credit at ATM themed Vending Machines with Panther Corporation of Canada collecting Revenue from the Waste to maintain these Solar Powered (???) Vending Machines is a strong possibility in the future.

Panther Corporation of Canada’s investment in Jamaica is The Apparition (2012) of Jamaica’s inability to properly manage its Waste Disposal at its various Dumps islandwide. With the right connections in places and lowered operating costs thanks to Solar Power, Panther Corporation of Canada will be in Jamaica as long as Jamaicans produce waste, regardless of whether or not the GOJ plans to implement legislation to incentivize the Recycling of Organic and Inorganic Waste.