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 waste, the study concludes that the vast majority—over 70%—is likely finding its way into informal landfills or marine ecosystems.
Authored by an architect and project management analyst affiliated with the UNDP, the document highlights the alarming volume of packaging waste produced in the country, estimating it at around 903,000 metric tons annually. Of this total, plastics account for approximately 300,000 metric tons per year, according to figures from the Association of Industries of the Dominican Republic (AIRD) and the IDB Lab. Less than 10% of this is effectively recycled. The remaining plastic waste often finds its way into landfills or the ocean. The Caribbean nation now ranks sixth in the region in terms of per capita plastic waste mismanagement.
The global outlook for plastic pollution is bleak, according to a report by the Nordic Council of Ministers. If current trends continue, the world could be producing 712 million tons of plastic by 2040, with a staggering 86% of that ending up in oceans.
Despite the grim statistics, the same report says there is hope. The Dominican Republic has taken significant steps to address its waste management challenges, including the enactment of the General Law on Integral Management and Coprocessing of Solid Waste. This legislation has paved the way for the establishment of a public-private trust fund to manage waste and has led to the closure of several open dumpsites.
However, much work remains to be done. Experts say that improving waste management infrastructure, promoting recycling, and increasing public awareness are crucial to tackling the plastic pollution crisis.
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Plastic Odyssey
2 September 2024