NATIONAL MID-TERM PROGRESS MEETING FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George & Shenequa Williams
NATIONAL MID-TERM PROGRESS MEETING FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA
For the Project
Testing of Guidance on Development of Plastic Waste Inventories and
Testing the Technical Guidelines on the Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic Waste
by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George & Shenequa Williams
Background information
The Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC Caribbean) is executing the captioned project in Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia and Suriname. The Department of Analytical Services serves as the focal point for this project in Antigua and Barbuda.
The primary objectives of the project are:
- To pilot test the practical guidance on developing inventories of plastic waste using the toolkit available from the Secretariat of the Basel Convention; and
- To pilot test selected modules from the technical guidelines on the environmentally sound management of plastic waste in the target countries and provide feedback on the applicability of the technical guidelines in Small Island Developing States.
In order to support the execution of this project, the BCRC-Caribbean has engaged Integrated Health Outreach (IHO), led by Dr. Nicola Bird, as the National Consultant Team for Antigua and Barbuda.
Further to National Inception Workshop hosted on January 30th, 2024, IHO has been collecting data to inform the development of the following two deliverables:
- A national assessment for Antigua and Barbuda on the environmentally sound management of plastic wastes; and
- A national inventory of plastic waste for Antigua and Barbuda.
In order to support the preliminary review of the work conducted by IHO thus far, the BCRC-Caribbean, in collaboration with the Department of Analytical Services, hosted a National Mid-Term Progress Meeting for Antigua and Barbuda for this project on Thursday 04th July 2024.
The aims of the meeting were:
- Provide a status update on the project;
- Discuss IHO’s preliminary findings;
- Discuss any challenges in data collection and next steps to support the finalization of the deliverables.
In an era where environmental sustainability is paramount, Integrated Health Outreach (IHO) was contracted by the BCRC-Caribbean to research the current status of the importation and consumption of plastics in Antigua and Barbuda. Led by Executive Director and Team Lead, Dr. Nicola Bird, and Environmental Information Analyst, Brittany McDonald, the organization made some strides with their investigations but there are still some grounds to cover in order for a clearer picture to be ascertained.
The ultimate aimed of the BCRC project is to reduce local consumption and improve plastic waste management practices. Additionally, this initiative aims to address the current issues in the public domain but also assist with a more applicable legislation and sustainable framework in the near future.
The primary objective of the project is to analyze and to significantly reduce plastic waste generation. This involves a thorough assessment of existing practices and the development of recommendations aligned with environmental best practices. The project covers several modules, each focusing on different aspects of waste management.
This meeting was chaired by Miss Janine Boodram/BCRC Senior Technical Officer (Ag) and hosted by Dr. Linroy Christian/Director of Analytical and Chair of the National Working Group with the support of Ms Melisa Lim/ BCRC Programme Management Officer – Secretariat.
Stakeholders presented were Antigua & Barbuda Bureau of Standards, Antigua & Barbuda Waste Recycling Corporation (ABWREC), Chamber of Commerce, Custom & Excise, JCI Antigua, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Legal Affairs, National Solid Waste Management Authorities, Pesticide Registrar, Price & Consumer Affairs.