Hello, anyone who can share some information on plastic recycling business models and the corresponding innovations (machines and equipment)? Thank you

On October 1st, 2022, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MNRE) hosted a beach clean-up at Malaela Village as part of the International Coastal Cleanup Day 2022 supported by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) through the AFD-funded SWAP project.

Malaela Village is located on the eastern side of Upolu island, Samoa. It is one of the coastal villages which was devastated by the 2009 tsunami. The Samoa Government through MNRE has endorsed the Lotopue-Malaela Mangrove Ecosystem Management Plan 2020 – 2025 in 2020. Strategic and management measures for waste management include:
a. Promote using bio-degradable products within the community;
b. Ban the dumping of waste within the mangrove ecosystem and its coastal areas;
c. Ban drainage of sewage and any other wastewater from households and any other establishments into the mangrove ecosystem.

About 30 volunteers from Maleala village, MNRE and SPREP joined in the celebration to collect nearly 43kg of waste washed up on the shoreline.

Watch this video produced during this event!

Children as young as nine say they are ill from work recycling plastic

Plastic is so pervasive in our lives that we often forget how dangerous it can be, both for us and the environment.

Reducing and recycling plastics is key for a sustainable transition, however needs to be done in a safe way. When plastics is melted, it releases air pollutants and toxins including POPs that can contribute to asthma, difficulty breathing and eye irritation. Exposure to these toxins can lead to an increased risk of cancer, neurological impacts and harm to the reproductive system.

Recycling is a necessary goal, but what good can it make if we put at risk the health of people working to make it happen?

Workers and communities must be put at the centre if we want to have a just circular economy.

Program to fight ocean plastic pollution launched in Parañaque - Philippines

A US founded programme has recently launched a plastic buying and exchange center to address ocean plastic pollution in Parañaque City.

At the center, local residents will be able to exchange their clean, dry, and segregated recyclables for points that can be redeemed for various incentives like digital currency, rice, fresh vegetables and other sustainable or reusable items.

Do you think this idea could be replicated in SIDS? Establishing a "recycling center" would help local waste management systems?

Microplastics in Palau

A new study found plastic waste has polluted Palau’s islands, reefs and beaches - which were chosen as case study because generally considered "pristine".

At this point, scientists think that there is virtually no place on the entire planet that has not been contaminated by plastics. This is a major issue since plastics can persist for decades or centuries, while putting at risk the health of people and ecosystems.

This is yet another proof of how much we urgently need a global treaty to reduce the production and consumption of plastics.

Saint Lucia To Develop Plastic Pollution Inventory

Exciting news from the Caribbean! Through targeted planning, the Government of Saint Lucia initiated a national source inventory to strategically tackle plastic pollution and marine litter.

The objective is to identify the most important sources of marine litter entering the environment, waterways, and coastal seas, providing the basis for strategic action.

Marva Hippolyte have you been involved in this process? If yes, could you please give us some insights? Thanks and well done Saint Lucia!

Australia commits to plastic-free Pacific

Australia renewed its commitment and support for the work to address waste and marine pollution in the Pacific by:

- Joining the New Plastic Economy Global Commitment by the end of 2022
- Investing $16 million to support the Pacific Regional Marine Litter Action Plan
- Providing support to strengthen chemical and waste management through the Cleaner Pacific 2025 Strategy
- Upgrading recycling infrastructure and boosting circular economy

Let's hope this commitments will be followed by clear implementation plans

Alternatives to plastics? This IISD article provides some useful insights on why mushroom plastics probably won't save us.