About

This website presents a compendium of materials developed and delivered to beneficiary project countries between 2019 to 2021 under Output 2.1 “Improved waste management practices and landfill operations” of the “GEF 5558: Development and Implementation of a Sustainable Management Mechanism for POPs in Eight (8) Caribbean Countries” project.

During the implementation of this project, it was identified that although landfill operations could be improved directly by the operators, the root cause of many challenges stemmed from financial, policy and or behavioural aspects with the wider national waste management sector. Developing and enhancing the operational resilience of the sector and landfill services through policy development, diversifying waste management options through establishing services for specific waste stream to facilitate diversion of waste from landfill are all key. Therefore, a systems approach to improving landfill operations was adopted, resulting in the production of several knowledge products that are relevant not just to the project countries, but to the wider region. This website aims to share the experience and knowledge gained with the wider region. The site is arranged to reflect the main components of the waste management service chain. Starting with waste generation, through segregation of waste materials, options for recovery of priority waste streams that assist improve landfill management (including conceptual designs), to landfill management and creating more secure and resilient operations.

As you navigate through the pages, you will find links to presentations, reports, case studies, videos and external links. We hope these will assist you with improving your waste management services and improve the operational resilience of your landfill sites that will ultimately reduce the risk of UPOPs emissions from landfills through the region.

Background to the project

Open burning of waste is a significant source of Unintentionally Produced Persistent Organic Pollutants (UPOPs) in the Caribbean. Most emissions result from dumpsite/landfill fires and from the backyard burning of municipal solid waste by households and recyclers. Potential sources of UPOPs (including polychlorinated dibenzo-para-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/PCDF)) include polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics/pipes, copper cable coating/ housing, waste electronic and electrical equipment (WEEE), foams and synthetic carpets. These may be of concern to householders as well as the informal waste sector. When formed, UPOPs are released along with other pollutants such as heavy metals and polyaromatic hydrocarbons, which eventually contaminate the environment (air, soil, and sediments).

Like the other POPs designated under the UN Stockholm Convention, when these PCDDs/PCDFs are released to the environment, there are permanent implications. They remain in nature for many years to decades or even longer. They accumulate in plants and animals, and ultimately end up in human beings though our food. Therefore, the open burning of waste needs to be effectively reduced or eliminated to protect the environment and human health.

In 2015, the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean) began executing a regional project entitled “GEF 5558: Development and Implementation of a Sustainable Management Mechanism for POPs in Eight (8) Caribbean Countries”. The project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) was implemented through the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO).

Component 2 of this project aimed to strengthen the capacity of five (5) Caribbean countries to improve waste management practices at their landfills to reduce site contamination by POPs and Unintentional POPs (UPOPs) emissions. Under this component, Resources and Waste Advisory (RWA) Group, an international waste management consulting company, was awarded a contract to support “Output 2.1 Improved waste management practices and landfill operations” which targeted the reduction of UPOPs emissions in five countries, namely Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Lucia, Saint Kitts & Nevis, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, through:

• the training of landfill operators,

In addition, Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and Saint Lucia received support in the form of:

• the development of source segregation strategies (which may prevent potentially hazardous waste from entering the landfills), and
• the design of adequate hazardous waste storage facilities, considering the Best Available Techniques / Best Environmental Practices guidelines.

The work on this consultancy project focused on 4 main components:

• Component A – Develop and execute training programs for five (5) countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Component B – Design and improve source separation programs for three (3) countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and Saint Lucia).
• Component C – Assess existing hazardous waste facilities in three (3) countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and Saint Lucia).
• Component D – Recommend and Design upgraded hazardous waste facilities in three (3) countries (Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados and Santa Lucia).

More information can be found at the project page on the BCRC-Caribbean website: https://www.bcrc-caribbean.org/our-projects/persistent-organic-pollutants/

Contact the BCRC-Caribbean for more information on the project outputs.