Hi everyone, warm greetings from the Caribbean! I am very excited to participate in the PacWastePlus and GEF ISLANDS Study Tour to learn more about these systems, and to get the opportunity to share experiences with colleagues on the other side of the world. Here in Trinidad and Tobago we are currently planning to implement a deposit-refund system for beverage containers, as the first waste stream for application of this type of management system, given its large share in single-use packaging. To this end, the country is in the process of revising the Beverage Containers Deposit Refund Policy, as well as the National Integrated Solid Waste/Resource Management Policy (which is the overarching policy on waste and resource management in the country and is being underpinned by a Circular Economy approach) and the National Waste Recycling Policy (which seeks to establish a sustainable national recycling programme). Based on the last waste characterisation study conducted it was estimated that about 84% of the waste generated was recyclable but this potential value is lost as these resources are generally landfilled. Currently, there is no mandated nationwide recycling system established in the country, though we do have various initiatives in operation at different scales. Their contribution however, is still relatively small scale in comparison to the quantity of recyclables generated.

This Study Tour is therefore very timely given that Trinidad and Tobago is at this critical juncture, as the learnings can be contextualised and integrated into these national policies and strategies. I am therefore looking forward to the opportunity to network and gain practical insights from the practitioners and more so to witness these various strategies and technologies in operation. I am also hoping to gain more real-world experience of the circular economy in action, as this concept is still very much novel here. With the newfound knowledge and expertise the aim is to contribute towards innovative and sustainable financing solutions to help address the national waste management challenges. Lastly, I hope the cross-cultural learnings will be well-grounded at this tour and continue to flourish as we embark on the GEF ISLANDS Programme and even beyond.