wastetrinidad and tobago

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Trinidad and Tobago (parliamentary democracy)

Environmental Management Act 2000

Source: www.sidsnet.org/docshare/other/20041102123338_TRINIDAD_AND_TOBAGO_NAR_2003.doc

Management of Wastes and Sanitation Systems

The existing solid waste systems in Trinidad and Tobago do not adequately fulfill the need for

the provision of environmentally sound management of the nations wastes. We live on a small

island with limited land mass and, therefore, cannot continue to abuse our environment

indefinitely without suffering the adverse consequences. It is, therefore, imperative that weurgently seek to establish creative and cost effective systems to meet the countrys waste

management needs.

Some major constraints relating to waste management are highlighted as follows:

There is no single institution/agency responsible for waste management in Trinidadand Tobago. Even though the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) was

established in 1995 to address the countrys environmental issues, responsibility for

waste management is still shared among several Ministries, statutory bodies and other

government agencies.

Because there is no one responsible institution/agency, there is duplication of efforts

in some areas and negligence in others. The EMA, has however, signed Memorandaof Understanding with various agencies, institutions and companies in order to

facilitate cooperation in the management of the environment.

The existing legal framework does not comprehensively address the issues facing

waste management. Existing legislation is spread over a number of different

institutions and agencies making implementation and enforcement somewhat

fragmented and difficult. The EMA is at present working on the establishment ofcomprehensive rules and regulations for the management of wastes.

In an effort to improve the system for solid waste management in the country, the presentGovernment proposes to develop and commence implementation of an integrated Solid Waste

Management Plan for the country in 2004. Further, the Community-Based Environmental

Protection and Enhancement Programme (CEPEP), was introduced to undertake communitybased environmental projects through the employment of small contractors throughout the

country. CEPEP has been in operation for just under a year, and has had far-reaching economic,

social and environmental benefits, including entrepreneurial development and employmentcreation. In this regard, over one hundred new entrepreneurs have been established providing

employment for over six thousand (6,000) citizens while ensuring a sustainable marriage

between the environment and the community.
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In recent years, significant interest has been expressed throughout the Caribbean regarding the

environment and the need for better waste management systems. One of the responses to thisneed is a project called the EuroColumbus Project. The EuroColumbus Project aims at the

creation of a Caribbean operational plan for waste reduction and recycling. The project was first

introduced by the non-profit organization, Environment West Indies (EWI) in September 2000and was officially launched on October 7, 2002 at the 1st CEF Conference held in St Lucia. EWI

is a non-profit organization based in Martinique. Its aim is to encourage economic cooperation

and transfer of technology between the French West Indies and the neighboring states of theCaribbean regarding environmental matters. Funding for this project is being obtained through

European aid programmes.

The EuroColumbus Project arose from the necessity of a regional approach to the environmentalproblem of waste treatment in the Caribbean, taking into account the cultural, economic and

social aspects of every island. In the first phase, a one-year feasibility study which will be

undertaken with a view to establishing an operational plan for waste treatment and recycling for

the Caribbean Region. This is to be followed by implementation of the appropriate solutions.

Source: http://www.ramsar.org/wurc/wurc_policy_trinidad.htm

Wetlands in Caroni have been similarly affected by the development of Point Lisas Industrial

Estate. Portions of the Caroni and South Oropouche Swamps have been used for land filling ofsolid waste.

The indiscriminate and excessive application of agro-chemicals to agricultural lands hasimpacted unfavourably upon wetland ecosystems at Caroni, Nariva and Oropouche. Organic

waste from poultry and livestock farms is also washed into wetlands via rivers and drains.

The unplanned and unregulated use of land for industrial purposes has also resulted in the

discharge of harmful effluent including heavy metals and other toxic waste into wetlands. Oilspilled onto land or leaked from defective pipelines drains into the South Oropouche Swamp via

the South Oropouche River. Silt from wash plants associated with quarry operations has been

proven to affect plant and animal life at Fishing Pond and Caroni Swamps.

With respect to domestic sources of pollution, malfunctioning sewage treatment plants installedto service residential developments in Trinidad and Tobago have discharged inadequately treated

sewage into drainage channels which flow into wetlands at Caroni and Bon Accord. Household

solid waste disposed into watercourses is also transported into wetlands to the detriment of theirecoysytem.

Town and Country Planning Act, Chap. 35:01 (Act 29 of 1960, amended by 13 of 1974, 49 of

1977).

The Act provides for the orderly and progressive development of land, and for the grant of

permission to develop land.
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Part II makes provision for statutory Development Plans indicating for which purposes the

minister proposes that land be used. Part IV of the Second Schedule to the Act list amenities for

which provision may be made as:

Item 8: Prohibiting, regulating, and controlling the deposit or disposal of waste material and

refuse, the disposal of sewage and the pollution of rivers, lakes, ponds, gullies and the seashore.

Source: www.basel.int/meetings/cop/cop7/stmt-trinidad.doc

Trinidad and Tobago has one of the most diversified and industrialized economies in the

English-speaking Caribbean primarily as a result of the countrys reserves of petroleum and

natural gas. The availability of relatively cheap energy has contributed to the development ofheavy industries such as iron and steel, cement, methanol, LNG, nitrogen and phosphate

fertilizers, specialty chemicals and petrochemicals. Trinidad and Tobago also has a wide variety

of small scale manufacturing industries which include wood preserving and wood products,textiles, leather/tanning, printing, plastics, PVC, chlorine, sulphuric acid, battery manufacturing,

metal fabrication, electrical machinery and components, metal fabrication and

shipbuilding/repair. There are nineteen (19) industrial estates in the country, with Point Lisasbeing the largest comprising eighty-five (85) tenants.

The heavy economic reliance on the petrochemical, industrial and manufacturing sectors as well

as wastes generated by the countrys three (3) major hospitals, twenty (20) private clinics and

forty (40) medical laboratories, vehicles, the agricultural sector and domestic activities, results inthe production of a large amount of hazardous waste. In this regard we feel that the Basel

Convention, will be invaluable for providing technical and financial assistance to developing

systems to manage and dispose of the hazardous waste which we ourselves generate in an

environmentally sound and cost effective manner.

This is extremely important to us since despite the fact that Trinidad and Tobago generates a

large amount of potentially hazardous waste; the options for waste disposal are limited with no

dedicated hazardous waste landfill or disposal facility on the island. with regard to addressing thedeficiencies in the legal framework, Trinidad and Tobagos National Environment Policy

requires the Environmental Management Authority to develop a list of hazardous wastes,

establish requirements for handling and disposal of same, establish standards and design criteria

for hazardous waste handling and disposal facilities, and enforcement of these requirementsthrough licensing and permitting requirements. The Environmental Management Authority is

also required to develop legislation to give effect to the Basel Convention and has to date

completed a technical background paper for rules on waste management which was developedby a multi-stakeholder committee.

Mr. President, our challenges in respect of waste management and the fact of our small size, just

5,128 square kms underlie our belief that it is only through the combined effort of regional and

international cooperation that solutions can be achieved. It is therefore significant that the themeof the high-level segment is Partnership for Meeting the Global Waste Challenge

In this regard, the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago welcomes the decisiontaken at the Third Meeting of the Conference of Parties, to select Trinidad and Tobago as the site
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for a Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean

Sub-Region.

Mr. President, like many other nations, the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago has long recognized

the need to arrest its problem of waste management and has taken the initiative to implement a

range of activities to address these challenges. We have worked within our existing legislativeand regulatory framework to provide mechanisms for restructuring the management of waste in

the country. While this has met with some measure of success there is need for focused

legislative and administrative mechanisms geared to dealing specifically with the issues ofgeneration, export and disposal of hazardous waste.

Despite these efforts Small Island Developing States such as ours are faced with a myriad of

challenges not least of which is our limited financial and technical resources. In this regard wewelcome the establishment of Regional Centers for Training and Technology Transfer for

enabling activities under the Basel Convention.

Source: www.basel.int/centers/Activities2004-2005.docList of training workshops, seminars and meetings organized by the Basel Convention Regional Centres on Training

and Technology Transfer (BCRCs) during 2004 and envisaged for 2005

1. Second meeting of

the Steering Committee of

the Project "Preparation of

a regional strategy for the

environmentally sound

management of used lead-

acid batteries in LatinAmerica and the

Caribbean"

San

Salvador,

El

Salvador

16 to 18

August

2005

BCRC El

Salvador and

BCRC

Trinidad and

Tobago

This second meeting will

review the draft regional

strategy that has been

prepared so far. It will also

review the preliminary

elements of a financial

strategy involving privateand public sources for the

implementation of the proposed strategy. The

Steering Committee is

composed of

representatives from

Governments in the region,

industry, internationalorganizations and

universities.

Additional funding

by UK, USA and

UNEP

1. Regional Awareness Raising

Workshop on Mercury Pollution

Port of

Spain,Trinidad

and Tobago

18-21

January2005

BCRC-

Trinidad andTobago,

UNEP

Chemicals

Raise awareness of the global,

regional and local nature ofmercury pollution problems and

assist countries to identify and

prioritise mercury issues within

their borders and within their

region. Raise awareness of the

potential options to reduce

exposures, uses, and releases of

mercury. Promote action, both
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immediate and long-term, at both

national, regional and global levelsto protect human health and the

environment from mercury releases

(in line with UNEP GC decision

22/4 V). Promote the exchange of

information on problems andsolutions to facilitate immediate

action and early risk reduction.

Prepare countries for futuredecisions of further measures for

addressing the significant global

adverse impacts of mercury (in line

with UNEP GC decision 22/4 V)-

Source:http://www.ecouncil.ac.cr/rio/national/reports/america/trinidad.htm

Waste recycling Solid Waste Management Co. Ltd. Bottle and paper recycling

1. A community cooperative was formed. Bottles are collected from the landfill,sorted, broken, and sold to Carib Glassworks are cullet. The income has been usedto encourage other business initiatives. There are also other individual operatives.

This began prior to UNCED.

2. Paper is collected in business establishments, and sold to Venezuela for

recycling/reuse.

Problems Environmental - increasing landfill sites, water quality protection, overuse of natural

resources Socio-economic- poverty, economic opportunities for women

Key conditions Partnership between private sector business and community

Underlying values Environmental - water pollution, land scarcity, sustainable resource

management Socio-economic - poverty alleviation, opportunities for women and youthseconomic benefits (to both parties) Institutional - community strengthening, partnerships
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