Saba signs Green Deal waste-recycling accord

Saba will be able to improve its waste management and increase recycling with expert help from the Netherlands writes The Daily Herald.

Saba Commissioner of Public Works Bruce Zagers signed the “Green Deal, better waste management Caribbean Netherlands” in The Hague on Thursday. The Green Deal is a cooperation format of the Government of Saba, the Dutch Government and a number of Dutch environmental organisations specialised in waste management and recycling. Saba was the only island to sign the Green Deal accord.

 

The Dutch organisations committed to make not only expertise available but also material. One organisation will ship a so-called de-pollution apparatus to Saba to clean car wrecks in order to process the metals and other parts. Another organisation will send a shredder for high density polyethylene (plastic) to Saba.

To tackle the problem of old tyres, an expert will make an inventory of the location of wasted tyres in nature areas, a clean-up action will be coordinated along with help to structurally arrange the discharge of old tyres to prevent the new discarding of used tyres. The Dutch Government will look at the transport possibilities for wasted tyres. Also, equipment will be made available to separate the rim from the tyre.

Boxes will be distributed on Saba and placed in central areas for the collection of used (household) batteries. Special containers will be made available to the island free of charge to ship off the batteries to the Netherlands for further processing. A container will be made available for Saba, free of charge, for the collection of sheet glass. Another organisation will assist to make an inventory of the amount of electrical equipment and energy-saving light bulbs and assist with solutions for recycling.

The organisations and the Governments of Saba and the Netherlands agreed that this cooperation was a perfect example of addressing issues and contributing to sustainable growth.

As a knowledge platform, Green Deal will actively contribute to better waste management, which in turn will have a positive effect on the local economy, a sustainable environment and tourism.

It was acknowledged that waste management in the Caribbean Netherlands still leads to situations which have an adverse effect on people’s health and the local, fragile environment, and also affects tourism and the local economy. Waste management is closely related to the state of the environment, public health and the economy, it was stated in the agreement.

Commissioner Zagers said it was great to see the enthusiasm from all parties involved to take this important step and make this signing possible. He was grateful for the support of all involved. “This initiative fits in the policy of our government to improve waste management and to increase recycling,” he said.