Plastic wastes management is a priority now

[Dolores]

The new Minister of Environment Paino Henriquez has a major challenge ahead. To continue advances in waste management and ensure a 360 degree change in local waste disposal mentality. More studies are becoming available that confirm the problem is serious and the actions need to continue.

A recent study by the Dominican Republic’s Association of Industries (AIRD) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has revealed alarming figures on the country’s plastic waste generation and management. The report, titled “Towards the End of Plastic Pollution: 4 Replicable Good Practices in the Dominican Republic,” cites data from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) indicating that in 2020, the Dominican Republic generated around 327,113 metric tons of poorly managed plastic waste in coastal areas alone.

While the country manages to process around 34,000 metric tons of packaging...

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[NanSanPedro]

I wish him the best, but it will take a couple of generations to turn it around.

 

[JLSawmam]

Enacting a bottle/can deposit similar to that in 10 of the United States might be a start. I remember as a kid in Oregon when they did that in 1971...all of a sudden collecting some discarded items at 5 or 10 cents each was worth a few candy bars and a cold soda! The logistics of doing the same here would be a challenge, but worth a look. Anything to incentivize the consumer to not just throw the stuff in the trash or in the street is a start.

 

[johne]

Enacting a bottle/can deposit similar to that in 10 of the United States might be a start. I remember as a kid in Oregon when they did that in 1971...all of a sudden collecting some discarded items at 5 or 10 cents each was worth a few candy bars and a cold soda! The logistics of doing the same here would be a challenge, but worth a look. Anything to incentivize the consumer to not just throw the stuff in the trash or in the street is a start.

With poverty levels that exist here in the DR I think it would be less of a "challenge". There is a large project underway (being built) that I will, over the next few months, be able to report on. Stay tuned.

 

[Jan]

Years ago they had a thing plastic bottles exchanged for food. I always saw people with giant bags on Playita Montecinos and around Plaza España in the Colonial Zone collecting. Wonder what happened with that?

 

[JD Jones]

They did one not long ago that turned into a disaster. Folks showed up with giant plastic bags of bottles to exchange for who knows what.

The going was slow and the people revolted and dumped the contents of their bags and left.

I guess nobody here saw the pictures of the sea of plastic bottles left behind?

 

[CristoRey]

They did one not long ago that turned into a disaster. Folks showed up with giant plastic bags of bottles to exchange for who knows what.

The going was slow and the people revolted and dumped the contents of their bags and left.

I guess nobody here saw the pictures of the sea of plastic bottles left behind?

I most certainly did and shared this one many times.
It will take decades to change this problem, so anyone looking for immediate
results is going to be sorely disappointed. Enjoy!

 

[JLSawmam]

It won't be immediate, but you have to start somewhere

 

[JD Jones]

I most certainly did and shared this one many times.
It will take decades to change this problem, so anyone looking for immediate
results is going to be sorely disappointed. Enjoy!

That's not the same one, but it's the same situation. The one I mentioned was in the ciudad Colonial. I think it was plastic bottles for school supplies.

 

[Ecoman1949]

It won't be immediate, but you have to start somewhere

Exactly. The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, applies here. Unfortunately the cost to ship the plastic off island is not as lucrative as it used to be due to an over abundance of used plastic, fewer buyers, and increased shipping costs.

I still think there is an opportunity here to eliminate a significant amount of the waste and generate much needed electricity if the government was willing to build high temperature incinerators to burn the waste without releasing pollutants and generate steam to drive electric turbines to feed the grid. Other countries do it safely and effectively.

 

[CristoRey]

Exactly. The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, applies here. Unfortunately the cost to ship the plastic off island is not as lucrative as it used to be due to an over abundance of used plastic, fewer buyers, and increased shipping costs.

I still think there is an opportunity here to eliminate a significant amount of the waste and generate much needed electricity if the government was willing to build high temperature incinerators to burn the waste without releasing pollutants and generate steam to drive electric turbines to feed the grid. Other countries do it safely and effectively.

Anyone remember the ban a few years ago on plastic bags, styrofoam containers, and plastic straws at the
local eateries they were going to enforce 😀😄😅

 

[reilleyp]

Y

Exactly. The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, applies here. Unfortunately the cost to ship the plastic off island is not as lucrative as it used to be due to an over abundance of used plastic, fewer buyers, and increased shipping costs.

I still think there is an opportunity here to eliminate a significant amount of the waste and generate much needed electricity if the government was willing to build high temperature incinerators to burn the waste without releasing pollutants and generate steam to drive electric turbines to feed the grid. Other countries do it safely and effectively.

You can also make things with it. There are costs to bury it, so why not spend the money on subsidized recycling? https://pollyproducts.com/how-milk-...Z39tV6JuvHHgkeop0QPtDtGez4CAwNc58EZp8TmP43K7r

 

[JD Jones]

Exactly. The Chinese proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”, applies here. Unfortunately the cost to ship the plastic off island is not as lucrative as it used to be due to an over abundance of used plastic, fewer buyers, and increased shipping costs.

I still think there is an opportunity here to eliminate a significant amount of the waste and generate much needed electricity if the government was willing to build high temperature incinerators to burn the waste without releasing pollutants and generate steam to drive electric turbines to feed the grid. Other countries do it safely and effectively.

They have been recycling plastic bottles here for many years. There are two processing plants on the Nov. 6 highway alone, and at least two others in Haina/Nigua. You can see the "overloaded" trucks driving around every day.
Those plants are not looking for folks who want to sell their bottles, they prefer free.

 

[JLSawmam]

They have been recycling plastic bottles here for many years. There are two processing plants on the Nov. 6 highway alone, and at least two others in Haina/Nigua. You can see the "overloaded" trucks driving around every day.
Those plants are not looking for folks who want to sell their bottles, they prefer free.

Other than for those who really care about the environment, the consumer needs to have some incentive to recycle or those that gather the discarded items need to gain something for their efforts.

 

[JD Jones]

I agree. A peso per bottle/item would have beaches empty in no time. Some sort of low cost block made of styrofoam. Or free in exchange for plastic bottles.

 

[Liberator]

Education starts at home.... Your parents, family. Polluting everything seems to be a national sport in the DR

 

[PCMike]

They can start with places like Jumbo. Yesterday I bought a chocolate bar and a pack of gum. The guy tried to put these pocket sized items in a big red bag. When I told him...no, he looked at me like I must be crazy.
Just having returned from Canada, you want a bag...you pay. Want a tray for your coffee? That is extra. I think that is a great idea and certainly reduces the amount of packaging waste.

Sometimes the only way to "educate" is to make it more expensive.

 

[JLSawmam]

The reusable shopping bags, at Jumbo and Sirena, are slowly becoming more popular and cost very little. They're great for other thingstoo, like a day at the beach, unless being stylish is a concern

 

[AlterEgo]

The reusable shopping bags, at Jumbo and Sirena, are slowly becoming more popular and cost very little. They're great for other thingstoo, like a day at the beach, unless being stylish is a concern

In my state (NJ), plastic bags are illegal, everyone has to bring their own or buy a reusable one. I buy my groceries online for curbside pickup, and they pack everything in reusable bags (cost is $1.50 flat per order). They add up quickly. I packed a bunch of them into the last drum I shipped to Lindsey Kauffman and they were a hit in Jamao.

 

[keepcoming]

Most of the stores where we are right now (Western US) are charging for plastic bags. We did a curbside pickup order on Sunday, nothing was bagged. They used the reusable bags we keep in the car.