Why RePLAST-OECS ?

Their physical characteristics make the Eastern Caribbean countries highly vulnerable to extreme weather events which come with heavy rainfall and flooding. Their economies are largely dependent on tourism, which, similar to other important economic sectors like Agriculture and Fisheries, rely on the natural environment and the health of eco-systems.

None of the Caribbean countries have proper plastic waste disposal systems for sorting and recycling, and plastic pollution is a growing threat to regional economies because:

Plastics take up a lot of space, increasing the amount of solid waste. As it is not bio-degradable, it can sit in a landfill for up to a 1000 years. Recycling plastic helps waste management by saving available space in landfills.
Plastic pollution increases the impact of devastating weather events on vulnerable Caribbean countries, as clogged waterways can worsen floods.
Plastic contaminates our waters as flood waters carry plastic waste out to sea and chemicals contained in plastics are a public health problem as they leach into our rivers and water sources.
Pollution of the environment poses a major risk to tourism industries and the livelihoods they support, as it hinders the aesthetic and appeal of the natural environment and impacts the health of ecosystems.

Circular Economy Approach,
Regional Cooperation Model

Advocating a circular economy approach, the RePlast-OECS project is mobilizing across civil society to move PET and HDPE waste from collection to export, redirect plastic from the natural environment, while also creating new financial flows from the collection and purchase of recyclable plastic waste.

Through targeted engagement with state agencies, the corporate sector and local communities, the Project is acculturating the circular economy ethos with a focus on two of its core principles – Reuse and Recycle.
Since 2019, Saint Lucia has been the pilot country to develop and test the methodology and systems with the broader goal of establishing a sustainable Caribbean-wide waste management and recycling system through a two-fold objective to:

Successfully pilot the development and the implementation of a plastic waste collection and processing system for recycling led by select Communities, Commercial establishments and Institutions;
Establish cooperation mechanisms between Saint Lucia, other Eastern Caribbean States and plastic recycling plants in the wider Caribbean.

Given the successful completion of the first pilot phase in Saint Lucia, additional funding is sought out to continue and expand the Pilot Project in Saint Lucia, as well as for replication in other Eastern Caribbean states and territories in support of the broader Project goal.

Creating a Plastic Waste Recycling Value Chain in the Caribbean

The RePLAST-OECS Pilot Plastic Recycling Project is establishing a value chain for plastic collection and recycling at a Caribbean regional level under four components.

1

Establishment of a Collection System,Pilot Groups & Incentive Scheme

COUNTRY LEVEL

Establish an incentivised collection and management system of plastic waste involving public, private and local stakeholders

2

Development of Export Flow and Experimental Shipment Options

COUNTRY LEVEL
& REGIONAL LEVEL

Establish a sustainable economic model of plastic waste supply chain, connecting each island’s plastic waste stream to recycling factories within the Caribbean Region;and build the capacity of public and private entities involved in waste collection.

3

Development of
Public Awareness Plan

COUNTRY LEVEL
& REGIONAL LEVEL

Build knowledge towards to ensure an informed and environmentally responsible population, actively involved in managing and sorting recyclable waste, including school learning curricula.

4

Replication ofthe RePLAST Caribbean Pilot Project Model

REGIONAL LEVEL

Utilise lessons learned to refine systems for upscaling the RePLAST system island and region-wide

Partner with us
Join the Regional Initiative and support RePLAST

Partner with the RePLAST Initiative as a Donor and support the sustainable development of the Caribbean Region. The implementation of the Saint Lucia Pilot Project is being funded primarily through Public, Private and External Donors. There are many opportunities to support the Project further to expand the RePLAST Model in Saint Lucia as well as replication in the other Caribbean Countries.

SUPPORT

Why RePLAST-OECS ?

None of the​ Caribbean countries have proper plastic waste disposal systems for sorting and recycling, and plastic pollution is a growing threat to regional economies because:

Circular Economy Approach,Regional Cooperation Model

Creating a Plastic Waste Recycling Value Chain in the Caribbean

The RePLAST-OECS Pilot Plastic Recycling Project is establishing a value chain for plastic collection and recycling at a Caribbean regional level under four components.

1

Establishment of a Collection System,Pilot Groups & Incentive Scheme

COUNTRY LEVEL

2

Development of Export Flow and Experimental Shipment Options

COUNTRY LEVEL& REGIONAL LEVEL

3

Development ofPublic Awareness Plan

COUNTRY LEVEL& REGIONAL LEVEL

4

Replication ofthe RePLAST Caribbean Pilot Project Model

REGIONAL LEVEL

Partner with us Join the Regional Initiative and support RePLAST

None of the Caribbean countries have proper plastic waste disposal systems for sorting and recycling, and plastic pollution is a growing threat to regional economies because:

Circular Economy Approach,
Regional Cooperation Model

COUNTRY LEVEL
& REGIONAL LEVEL

Development of
Public Awareness Plan

COUNTRY LEVEL
& REGIONAL LEVEL

Partner with us
Join the Regional Initiative and support RePLAST