La Basse and recycling

Jerome Teelucksingh

BOTH DEVELOPED and developing countries are plagued by the burdensome problems of waste management and pollution. It is unfortunate that our Earth is burdened by millions of plastic and other non-biodegradable products.

Some countries have invested considerable resources to recycle items as aluminium and steel cans, plastic, glass and paper. Germany boasts of the highest recycling rate (66 per cent) across the globe. Unfortunately, in the Caribbean our recycling rates are low.

In the 21st century there is need for better waste management practices, especially in recycling. Emma, a ten-year-old primary school student of TT, has been promoting Recycling Week during October 21-27. This is the kind of initiative, among the young generation, that we need to support.

One of the major goals of observing Recycling Week is to encourage more usage of paper and glass products. How much recycling is promoted at our primary and secondary schools? Do all schools and businesses have recycling bins? Approximately 30 organisations in TT focus on recycling.

Many of us are aware of the toxic fumes from the Beetham Landfill (or La Basse) and witness the underprivileged citizens who daily cross the highway to scavenge for items.

We are unaware of the recycling potential of the La Basse and Forres Park Landfill. The Solid Waste Management Co Ltd (SWMCOL) certainly boosted our recycling awareness in 2016 with the creation of the Materials Resource Recovery Facility at the Guanapo Landfill. The facility focuses on identifying and sorting recyclable items.

Every year these three landfills receive approximately 700,000 tonnes of garbage. Some of the recovered waste from the landfills could be used to generate biofuels.

Undoubtedly, any form of recycling would help reduce the growing piles of solid waste in our overburdened landfills. Some of the waste would also enter rivers and oceans.

Let us continue removing the pollution menace that threatens the future of our biosphere.

Microplastics in the world’s water sources and their link to health complications is frightening. This poses a hazardous threat to this generation and the future.

Improper disposal and the burning of non-biodegradable materials release toxic fumes into the atmosphere. This certainly has a negative effect on our bodies. And all countries must realise the urgency of phasing out ozone-depleting substances.

When recycling becomes part of our daily routine, this will help in the sustainable development of the planet. Another benefit of establishing recycling facilities is job creation. There are approximately 200 recycling facilities in the US. And Canada has also embarked on a vibrant recycling programme.

Every year TT has the dilemma of ridding itself of 1.5 million old tyres. Part of the solution can be found in Tarouba in San Fernando with the Rubber Crumb Production Facility. It recycles old tyres to produce rubber linings and mats which are used in sporting facilities. Two institutions, UTT and Cariri, are undertaking research to determine the feasibility of using these rubber crumbs to pave roads.

Across the Caribbean there are other success stories. One illustration is CARE Caribbean with branches across the region. In the Eastern Caribbean there is Recycle OECS which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the Agence Française de Développement and OECS Commission. This project has encouraged design and research on waste collection and separation.

A similar international collaboration was revealed in the Caribbean Waste Management Regional Action Plan in 2018. It was spearheaded by the United Nations Environment Programme and funded by the the Netherlands. Other progressive regional companies and non-profit organisations include Recycling Partners of Jamaica.

Companies need to ensure that the production process is not wasteful and that more recyclable products are generated. Undoubtedly, there is need for the enforcement of environmental laws with stiffer penalties and appealing tax benefits for companies that promote a circular economy.

Governments, activists, the private sector, regional and international organisations must continue collaboration with recycling programmes. There is need for more co-operation from the media in assisting the campaign for recycling. The public needs to be aware of the uses and extent of recyclable materials and their usage as viable environmentally-friendly alternatives.

In the 21st century and beyond, recycling should become a greater part of our lives. This would be the solution for a generation desperately seeking a balance between humanity and the environment.

With the alarming weather patterns and greater threat of global warming, there is a greater need for the world to become more environmentally conscious and our mantra should be reuse, recycle and reduce. Only then can we renew our planet.