This publication looks into the Solid Waste Sector situation in nine Caribbean countries: The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, Guyana, Haiti, Suriname, St Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. These countries, which represent a population of approximately 17 million people distributed in less than 500,000 sq. km, face similar challenges in regard to solid waste management such as increasing solid waste generation, changes in waste characterization, lack of adequate disposal sites and low collection rates.
Adequate solid waste management is a particularly sensitive issue for the Caribbean countries, since their economies are mainly natural resource-based, with tourism, mining, agriculture and fisheries being the dominant sectors. The Caribbean Solid Waste Conference (CSWC) carried out in Jamaica in September 2014 provided a unique opportunity to exchange experiences among these countries and to discuss recommendations on how to improve sector management.
This publication provides a detailed overview of the institutional arrangements in these countries, describes the main challenges and recommendations for solid waste collection, treatment and disposal, and discusses topics such as the financial sustainability and the impact of climate change on the sector.