Govt launches US$1m St Kitts and Nevis Solid Waster Management and Recycling Project

St Kitts and Nevis: The Government has launched US$1m St Kitts and Nevus Solid Waster Management and Recycling Project in Federation to tackle the issue of waste management and teach people the way to dispose waste. The Minister of Environment and Cooperative Eric Evelyn stated that the government had encouraged the citizens to become better environmental stewards.

While addressing the ceremony held at the Solid Waste Management Conference Room in Taylor's Range on Friday, March 4, 2022, Evelyn remarked that the project is a step towards building a coordinated framework that will aid the government to resolve the issue of waste disposal practices.

The conference has also been joined by Director of Environment June Huges, Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Michale Chau-Horng Lin and the Second Secretary at the Taiwan Embassy, Jack Li and the Project manager named Ms Joyce Chang.

The Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) is funding the project.

He further briefed the two reasons why the project is timely and essential and stated that it aligns with the commitment of the ministry of environment to encourage the residents of the country to become environment friendly and also to teach them how efficiently they could dispose of their waste.

The project's main focus is to establish a recycling system and increase the amount of waste recycled by twice the amount. So, it is essential to attain the systemic framework that will pave the way for more environmentally responsible actions, he pointed out.

Evelyn also mentioned that to achieve the UN's Sustainable Goal 12, is to 'Ensure responsible consumption and production patterns, the Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives is working tirelessly to implement a ban on single-use plastics.

It will include the possibilities of packaging products using environmentally friendly material, diverse offerings of how to reuse plastics or any other products and the use of the technology in reducing waste, Evelyn underscored.

He further thanked all the stakeholders who were supporting the ministry and added, "We feel that the implementation of the recycling programme will need some cultural changes in attitude and behaviour, and I am confident that the Project Steering Committee will present the innovative ways to tackle the issue".

The partnership with the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) will not help financially but also aid the ministry in various technical aspects, underscored Minister.

He also emphasized that he is very grateful to the Republic of China for supporting the Project, the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) for guiding the project concept and the team at the Ministry and Department of Environment.

Evelyn added that the government has already implemented the project in St Kitts and Nevis, and he looks forward to enhancing the capacities across government institutions.