By the Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI), The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus.
In the aftermath of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa, Jamaica faces a significant challenge in restoring normalcy to communities across the island. Since the passage of the hurricane on October 28, 2025, waste collection has been severely disrupted, with garbage trucks unable to service many areas they routinely visit. Accumulating debris now threatens public health, mobility, and the pace of recovery.
During a recent national meeting between the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), the Prime Minister of Jamaica Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness and other key stakeholders, the Prime Ministers stressed that “a joint collaborative effort” is necessary to harness the power of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in managing this disaster. He further directed ODPEM to coordinate with the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and emphasized that debris and waste management must become key pillars in the recovery process.
At the Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI), we fully support this vision and stand ready to assist the national effort by integrating advanced GIS solutions into national waste-management operations.
MGI’s Executive Director, Luke Buchanan in response to the situation outlined that “The Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI) at The University of the West Indies, Mona fully supports the Government’s move to integrate GIS into national waste-management and disaster-response efforts. I am encouraged to see GIS being recognized at the highest level as an essential tool for guiding Jamaica’s recovery and for strengthening the systems we rely on every day. As the leading geospatial technology institution in the Caribbean, MGI stands ready to assist the NSWMA and all national stakeholders in building modern, data-driven solutions. Integrating GIS into solid-waste management and into other critical sectors will not only improve efficiency and transparency but also enhance Jamaica’s long-term resilience.”
How can we achieve our objectives by integrating GIS into the process?
1. GIS Mapping Communities Most Affected by Waste Accumulation
Experts can deploy high-resolution, post-disaster spatial imagery to identify neighborhoods with the heaviest buildup of garbage and debris. By overlaying data such as road accessibility, flood impacts, and community density, GIS can pinpoint areas where cleanup must be prioritized. This can be augmented by the use of drone technology in local areas.
This allows the NSWMA to:
- Track uncollected garbage zones in real time via some kind of interactive GIS-based dashboard.
- Identify population-dense communities at higher health risk. This is also critical considering that the new census data is now available.
- Plan emergency collection routes that maximize efficiency.
2. Optimizing Garbage Truck Routes in Real Time using GIS
Many roads remain partially blocked or impassable after Hurricane Melissa. Traditional collection routes no longer reflect the current conditions. GIS experts can provide dynamic route optimization tools that:
- Calculate the safest and fastest alternative paths for garbage trucks using the comprehensive roads and community network across Jamaica.
- Reduce fuel consumption and operational delays.
- Automatically update routes as roads are cleared or repaired.
- Implementation of smart cities concepts
Using GPS-enabled fleet tracking, the NSWMA can also monitor truck movements live, ensuring crews remain on schedule and resources are deployed effectively. This can be augmented by the use of data collection tools such as ODK Collect and ArcGIS Survey123.
3. Creating a Central GIS Dashboard for Decision-Making
GIS experts can rapidly build an interactive GIS operations dashboard tailored to NSWMA’s needs. This platform would consolidate all relevant data in one place, including:
- Waste accumulation hotspots
- Fleet locations and movement
- Road blockages and access limitations
- Status of solid waste disposal sites
- Community reports submitted via mobile applications (NSWMA Mobile App).
This dashboard would enable senior decision-makers to coordinate resources, allocate manpower, and respond quickly to emerging waste-management challenges.
4. Supporting Debris Management as a Disaster-Recovery Pillar
The Prime Minister, in the meeting, outlined that debris management is essential to effective disaster response:
“One of the things I want… is for you to get in touch with NSWMA and help them to set up their GIS system, because a part of the disaster management is debris management.”
Expertly created debris-tracking GIS models will allow the NSWMA to:
- Identify locations of large debris piles (fallen trees, roofing materials, damaged household items).
- Assign crews and equipment based on debris type.
- Track the progress of clearing operations islandwide.
- Ensure cleared debris reaches designated disposal or recycling sites.
This level of coordinated oversight is essential to restoring roads, reducing hazards, and enabling faster community recovery.
5. Community Reporting Through GIS-Enabled Applications
MGI can support the rollout of crowdsourced reporting platforms where citizens submit real-time photos and geotagged reports of uncollected garbage. This helps the NSWMA validate field conditions even before crews arrive. GIS-based data collection tools can also be integrated. People providing relief support can also report solid waste hotspots using these tools. Such systems enhance transparency and public engagement while improving the accuracy of operational planning.
6. MGI’s Proven GIS Capabilities
MGI brings more than two decades of national experience in:
- Disaster-response mapping
- Transportation and fleet GIS
- Mobile data-collection systems
- Geospatial analytics and modelling
- Large-scale national GIS platform development
Our team has supported government ministries, emergency agencies, and international development partners through multiple projects. We are fully prepared to assist the NSWMA in building a modern, resilient GIS-supported waste-management system.
7. AI and Solid Waste Management Systems
GeoAI can significantly enhance post-disaster waste-management by combining advanced machine-learning models with geospatial data to deliver faster, more accurate decision-making. Using satellite imagery, drone data, and real-time reports, GeoAI can automatically detect debris piles, estimate their volume, classify waste types, and predict where garbage accumulation is likely to worsen due to population density, blocked roads, or delayed collection. This is more for the further after the building out of Jamaica Eye’s camera network.
Conclusion: GIS as a Cornerstone of Jamaica’s Recovery
Hurricane Melissa has highlighted the urgent need for data-driven strategies in national cleanup and recovery. GIS provides the clarity, precision, and real-time insight needed to make waste collection faster, safer, and more coordinated across the affected areas in Jamaica.
The Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI) stands ready to partner with the Prime Minister, NSWMA, ODPEM and other stakeholders to ensure Jamaica’s solid-waste response is guided by accurate data, advanced mapping technologies, and efficient operational planning. As the country rebuilds, a strong GIS framework will not only support immediate debris removal but will strengthen long-term resilience against future disasters.
#GIS #Geospatial #SolidWasteManagement #WasteManagement #Sustainability #SmartCities #UrbanPlanning #DataDrivenDecisions
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Phone: (876) 977-3161
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