Recycling in St. Kitts and Nevis: Bin Placement Programme takes off in Nevis
Sunshine’s Beach Bar and Grill, L-R: Ms Joyce Chang, Mr Andrew Hendrickson, Chief Supervisor at Sunshine’s Ms Lourdy Estime, CEO Mr Llewellyn Caines, Head Bartender Mr Al Christmas, Project Driver Mr Franklyn Rogers.
CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, November 14, 2021 (MMS-SKN) — The Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) has been singled out for praise for partnering with St. Kitts and Nevis Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project as it enters the second phase of operation, the Bin Placement Programme.
Project Manager Ms Joyce Chang, who was in Nevis on Thursday, November 10 to place recycling bins at ten locations, was during the exercise accompanied by the General Manager of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority, Mr Andrew Hendrickson.
“It was a pleasure to be in Nevis, to work with the hotels, restaurants and one school, to set up our recycling bins,” said Ms Chang. “In this activity, we shared with everyone how to recycle, what can be recycled and what cannot be recycled.”
The Project Manager explained that Project Driver, Mr Franklyn Rogers, would be picking up all the properly sorted recyclable material every Wednesday to take it to the landfill where a baler is now in operation. She thanked all stakeholders who have also partnered with the Recycling Project by having the recycling bins placed at their properties.
“I would like to appreciate all of the stakeholders and also special thanks to Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority because they have provided strong support to us to allow us to handle and manage our operations, and to help in transportation for operations in the recycling facility,” said Ms Chang.
The three-year (July 29, 2021, to July 28, 2024) US$1 million St. Kitts and Nevis Solid Waste Management and Recycling Project, which was officially launched on Friday, March 4 at a ceremony held at the Solid Waste Management Conference Room in Taylor’s Range in Basseterre, is being executed jointly by the Federal Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Climate Action, and the Taiwan Technical Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Bin Placement Programme will see bins placed at schools, hotels, restaurants, community centres, churches, and local retail businesses in an effort to establish recycling channels.
“Essentially what was done today by the Taiwanese Technical Mission, St. Kitts and Nevis Recycling initiative in collaboration with the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority is that we went around to various stakeholders who are on board with us,” said General Manager, Mr Andrew Hendrickson, speaking at the Four Seasons Resort where two bins, one for plastics and another for metal recyclables were placed.
Saying that it was a wonderful initiative in the history of Nevis and that he was proud to be associated with the activities on Thursday, he added: “We went to these places among others and we dropped off the recycling bins particularly bins for recyclable plastics as we well as the metals, and this is a very wonderful initiative which the Nevis Island Administration, and by extension the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority, we are very proud to be associated with this because what we are doing is also piggybacking because that is the direction in which we would like to go in terms of recycling and preserving the environment.”
They were accompanied by Project Technician, Mr Geofhani Gumbs, Project Driver Mr Franklyn Rogers, and two observers from Taiwan, Mr Darren Chen and Mr Mark Hsu who are on an eight-month attachment.
“I just want to thank the Taiwan Mission in St. Kitts and Nevis for the great contribution that has been given to me, something I have been trying to do a lot, but now I have help,” said Mr Llewellyn Caines, CEO Sunshine Beach Bar and Grill, Pinney’s, after his establishment received three recycling bins. “I want to say thank you very much, as a healthy nation is a wealthy nation. Keep Nevis clean and let’s live life, and have fun and stay healthy.”
At the Four Seasons Resort where an elaborate recycling programme is in place, the Director of Purchasing who is also the leader of the Green Team Committee at the property, Mr Clint Smith, observed that there is a drive now that is coming from corporate not just from Four Seasons Nevis, but all Four Seasons around the world, that they reduce their carbon footprint on a whole.
“With the recycling programme, I myself had three bins located on the beach and in the rooms division area, for the property to collect the plastic bottles and today Joyce has brought two additional bins for us to collect more plastic containers and also metal cans,” said Mr Smith. “This is a great initiative. It is the way of the world right now – it is a direction we want to go not only as a people but as a company as we need to protect our environment.”
Other locations where the bins were placed are Golden Rock Hotel (one for metal and one for plastic), Nevis International Secondary School (one for metal and one for plastic), Lime Beach Bar (one for metal and two for plastic), Montpelier Beach Bar (one for metal), Montpelier Plantation Inn (one for metal and one for plastic), and Oualie Beach Resort (one for metal and one for plastic).