BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, May 19, 2022 (MMS-SKN) — The St. Kitts and Nevis Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project, a partnership between the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan), has stepped up its waste recycling promotions following its official launch earlier this year. Project Manager Ms Joyce Chang of the Taiwan Technical Mission explained that St. Kitts and Nevis produces 32,363 metric tons of waste per year (1.67 kg/person/day), much higher than the global Caribbean average of 0.99 kg, causing the landfill to be overloaded.
Activities have included a beach clean-up at Conaree on Sunday April 24 for Earth Day — which collected 311 pounds of garbage in 19 bags with 36 volunteers — and a large display booth at the St. Kitts Agriculture Open Day on April 28–29, where scores of show-goers and students stopped by to learn about recycling. Chang noted: “During the two open days we saw many children and students come to our booth. Their teachers are already educating them about recycling and they know it is very good for our environment and our communities.”
From June 2022, the project will begin a recyclable collection initiative, visiting collection sites across St. Kitts — including Conaree, Buckley’s and Dieppe Bay — and in Nevis every Tuesday to collect plastic bottles and metal cans. The top ten contributors by weight at each pop-up site can win valuable prizes. A recycling campaign will be launched on World Environment Day, Saturday June 4, at the Newtown Playfield parking lot in St. Kitts, and on Saturday June 11 at the Delta Petroleum parking lot in Nevis from 9 a.m. to noon. Chang encouraged the public: “The general public is kindly asked to bring clean plastic bottles and metal cans to our pop-up sites. Let’s recycle!”