Government leading waste separation, recycling projects
THE GOVERNMENT OF ST KITTS AND NEVIS HAS TAKEN THE LEAD in arranging waste in categories and pursing recycling at the administration headquarters.
“We here at the government believe, of course, that the environment is critically important to us here especially as a small island developing state and at Government Headquarters in particular which is the centre of government,” said Cabinet Secretary, Dr Marcus Natta.
Dr Natta who once worked with chemicals and waste at the St. Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards led the recycling initiative last Friday.
He reiterated that governments must be in the vanguard of environmental protection.
“It is critically important for us to lead by example, and so if we want the general public to be advocates for the environment and to protect the environment and to separate waste it must begin also with us here at Government Headquarters.”
Organising waste in groups and recycling refuse is a collaboration between the Government and ‘Let’s Recycle SKN’, a non-profit organisation headed by Taiwan’s International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF).
Government officials, including Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew and Environment Minister, Senator Dr. Joyelle Clarke, strongly back the initiative which “advocates for us conserving and protecting the environment,” Natta explained.
“We are pleased to have a group from Let’s Recycle SKN with us who are donating some recycle bins for us to do plastic bottle waste separation in particular. We know that plastic is a major issue around the world and especially here in St. Kitts and Nevis,” said the Cabinet Secretary.
He continued, “We are very pleased to start the initiative today, and our custodians have played an important part in generating data for us over several weeks and the staff has already come on board and is assisting with separating the waste.”
Joyce Chang, Project Manager of the Waste Management Project at Taiwan ICDF stressed that the initiative will yield several benefits. “Of course, the first benefit for our island is a clean environment. Another benefit is the opportunity to recycle as opposed to the waste going to the landfill and creating a pollution issue; so that is good for our environment. I think everyone can change their daily behaviour to sort their waste. We can work together and make better environmental [decisions] in St. Kitts and Nevis,” Chang said.
Environment minister Clarke applauds the joint between the two sides.
“We recognize that the move to banning single-use plastics starts with these small but critical steps directed towards behavioural change and waste management,” Clarke said.
“This is a positive move to be followed by various government departments. We will not only legislate the changes but we will also encourage positive social and environmental behaviour. It starts at GHQ and the Cabinet Secretariat,”
Under the scheme, dust bins will be installed on each floor of Government Headquarters to place plastic bottles, and signage installed to help with the education drive.
According to Dr. Natta, the idea is to expand the initiative throughout the government service.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry recently embarked on a similar waste separation drive.
