BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, March 21, 2022 (MMS-SKN) — The Republic of China (Taiwan) has made significant strides in waste management, becoming a shining example of a country that has moved from recycling to circular economy, and St. Kitts and Nevis is bracing itself to follow that example. Project Steering Committee members of the recently launched St. Kitts and Nevis Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project were last week Thursday (March 17) briefed on Taiwan’s roadmap of its waste management through an online seminar conducted by Professor Ming-Chien Su of the Department of National Resources and Environmental Studies at the National Dong Hwa University in Taiwan.
The seminar was held at the Caribbean Confederation of Credit Unions’ conference room in Fortlands, West Basseterre. Professor Su gave an outline of the evolution of Taiwan’s recycling system, noting that 70% of waste in Taiwan is from industrial waste. She explained Taiwan’s waste recycling fund and regulation, and noted that garbage trucks are fitted with GPS tracking to prevent illegal dumping. Participants were also informed that Taiwan had banned the use of plastic bags, encouraging shoppers to carry their own bags. The three-year (July 2021–July 2024) US$1 million St. Kitts and Nevis Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project, officially launched on March 4, will be executed jointly by the Federal Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives and the Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis. Bio Safety Officer Ms Vicia Woods said: “I definitely think from what we learnt today we can take this and tailor it to our country’s specific needs. Maybe it won’t be happening in the next two or three years, but we will definitely be on the way there.”