SABA–The Public Entity Saba hosted a recycling summit in January with the participation of Cadwell Inc, the US-based company that assists Saba with the recycling program and the exportation of the recycled products to different facilities for further processing.
The summit provided a goal-oriented setting for the improvement of Saba’s waste management system and as a result, the Waste Management Improvement Plan will be updated and implemented. The main objective of these updates is the reduction of (rest) waste that needs to be burned, which will reduce the frequency of burning and decrease the amount of harmful smoke being produced.
This is a two-part plan with a focus on enhancing the awareness of the role of households and businesses in proper waste management, therefore increasing the amount of waste being separated at home, as well as improving the waste management system itself via new schedules, trainings and upgrades.
During the awareness program there will be a house-to-house campaign, where people will receive information about how they can contribute to a better waste management system and will receive an instruction manual on the do’s and don’ts of recycling on Saba. They will also receive a single-use plastic ban starter kit with items that can be used as alternatives for plastic products. The community outreach program will include school visits, competitions and activities to engage students in recycling.
The goal of the awareness program is to increase the separation of waste at the households and businesses but improvement of the collection of the waste streams and the sorting of waste at the waste processing facility is also needed. Therefore, changes for all collection streams, drop-off points for chemical products, enhancements and equipment investments at the waste processing facility and trainings for personnel are also part of this comprehensive plan.
Special so-called Home Chemical and Recycling Center (HCRC) drop-off points will be placed in the villages in the first half of 2021. The community can contribute to the recycling process by taking their chemical products the HCRCs such as batteries, light bulbs, cooking oil, paint (cans) and aerosol cans. The garbage collection schedules for both the regular waste collection and bulk collection are being revised and improved. In the coming weeks, they will be finalized, communicated and implemented.
These efforts will all lead to the targeted reduction in burning and smoke production. In addition to this, the quality of the exported recycled materials will also improve, which will increase their value and usability in the recycling process.
“Saba is known as the Unspoiled Queen and to maintain this title, maximum effort is needed into sectors such as waste management. Having the trust and the cooperation of the population of Saba is vital in the entire process,” said Commissioner Bruce Zagers.
