More than 70 per cent of the waste collected at Long Bay Beach, a high-traffic site for residents and cruise tourists alike in the British Virgin Islands, is plastic, much of which was not diverted before the pilot. The pilot is implemented jointly by GreenVI, the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change (MENRCC), the Department of Waste Management, and the Ministry of Health and Social Development. It applies a "Capture and Create" model, in which sorting stations on the beach, managed by beach wardens, feed material to a Fab Lab at the Tortola EcoPark. There, plastic bottle caps, bottles, and detergent jugs are turned into souvenirs, components for recycling bins, and outdoor furniture. By closing the loop between collection and local manufacturing, the pilot tackles marine litter, reduces mosquito breeding sites, and creates new, locally made products.
Plastic waste in Guyana regularly clogs the drainage canals that protect low-lying coastal communities from flooding, while also polluting nearshore waters. Under the PROMAR Project, the University of Guyana set up a pilot Circular Economy Lab on campus, led in collaboration with local schools and participating communities. The pilot established four collection hubs where residents can drop off sorted PET, HDPE, and LDPE plastics for recycling and upcycling. Collected plastic is cleaned, shredded, and turned into souvenirs and craft products by the lab technicians, and then sold through university events and local markets. Short course training on circularity and marine litter prevention, as well as the establishment of two university courses, are among the other initiatives the University has developed in advancing the Circular Economy concept in Guyana.
Much of the marine litter in St. Kitts and Nevis originates inland and is carried to the coast through ghauts and drainage channels during rainfall. Led by Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC), in collaboration with the Solid Waste Management Corporation and the Taiwanese Technical Mission, this pilot aims to reduce plastic entering waterways and reaching the coast. It will establish schools as local recycling hubs with clearly labelled bins. Collected plastic will be processed into lumber at a laboratory on the CFBC campus. As part of their vocational training, students will gain hands-on experience collecting, sorting, and recording plastic, then learn to use the recycled lumber to make products such as park benches, hurricane shutters, and public waste bins. These products will serve practical needs in St. Kitts and Nevis while demonstrating how discarded plastic can be turned into useful goods and support a circular economy.
Markets and riverside gathering spots in Paramaribo, including Central Market, Vreedzaam Market, and Leonsberg Jetty, face waste management challenges that contribute to litter and the risk of waste entering the Suriname River. The Green Heritage Fund Suriname, in collaboration with the Ministry of Oil, Gas and Environment, the District Commissioner's Offices, and local stakeholders, implemented the pilot, which introduced paired bins for recyclables and residual waste, supported by clear signage and awareness activities. Together, these interventions aim to reduce litter, prevent plastic pollution in the river, and encourage lasting waste-separation and responsible disposal practices among vendors, residents, commuters, and visitors.
Trinidad and Tobago generates large volumes of plastic waste, much of which escapes into drains, rivers, and the sea, particularly from the food and beverage sector. This pilot is being executed by Every Bottle Back Trinidad and Tobago (EBB TT) under the PROMAR Project, with the Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development serving as the Political Partner and the Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA) as the Technical Partner for implementation. The pilot divided the demonstration area into manageable grid zones served by consistent PET drop-off points at schools, places of worship, businesses, and community centres. Trained collection teams and micro-entrepreneurs follow fixed routes, and community members receive direct payment for the PET they return. Digital tracking of volumes and participation allows the pilot to monitor its impact and estimate the leakage it prevents, offering an inclusive, scalable model for PET recovery nationwide. The pilot activities will be integrated into EBB TT's operating procedures, ensuring lasting continuation.
The circular economy pilot in Santa Marta, Colombia, applies various management strategies to reduce material flows reaching the Caribbean Sea, improving waste management services and enhancing the quality of life for recyclers and their families involved in the project. The pilot's collection routes cover 24,008 households, chain stores, educational institutions, and neighborhood shops, operated by three recycling organizations. These organizations remain active in the pilot, focusing on knowledge transfer after one organization concluded its participation. Through six pillars of development, including financial modulation and stakeholder integration, the project promotes sustainability and social well-being. Awareness campaigns on marine waste and recycling reached over 46,000 individuals. By December 2023, over 3,000 tons of materials have been collected and transformed, with collaboration with the Repack collective packaging plan enabling recyclers to access additional income opportunities under Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), contributing to financial stability and service quality.
Parley for the Oceans and Cilpen Global, supported by PROMAR, have implement a strategic solution in the fight against ocean pollution. A river boom (floating barrier) has been installed in the Yaque del Norte River in Santiago, Dominican Republic. The objectives of this collaborative project are the following: to prevent solid waste, mainly plastics, from reaching the seas, thereby safeguarding marine ecosystems, to raise awareness in the community and sectors of the society on marine litter by educational activities at the site, and to gather crucial data on the volume of litter flowing through the river. After being captured in the river, the materials are lifted up by a conveyor belt, powered by solar panels, and collected in a mobile container. Cilpen Global then transports the material to their facilities for sorting out the recyclable fractions for processing. Furthermore, the initiative counts with an educational space (container) that receives student or community groups for educational and awareness-raising activities.
This pilot project aims to encourage a culture of recycling and environmental awareness in the community, responding to the challenges of waste management and the increase in single-use plastics. Through strategic partnerships with institutions such as the Babeque School, the Cultural Centre of Spain and the Don Bosco Educational Plaza, the first Blue Points (recycling bins) have been established in key locations in Greater Santo Domingo.
The collection containers (estaciones azules) are modular structures, composed of 40 and 20-foot containers, which serve as collection, sorting and education centres, equipped with solar panels for energy independence and sorting facilities for efficient waste management. Despite its initial phase, the project has already shown promising results, intercepting more than 231 kg of plastic at the Blue Points located at the Spanish Cultural Centre and the Babeque School, while providing more than 50 training sessions benefiting some 500 people. Looking ahead, there are significant opportunities for expansion and improvement, such as diversifying the materials collected, expanding the Blue Points to other communities and integrating them with existing Blue Stations to optimise collection and recycling efforts.
The Marine Litter Integration into PMGIRS (MSWM) pilot project covers a comprehensive initiative aimed at integrating marine litter management measures into existing municipal solid waste management schemes in a systematic manner. To begin with, a comprehensive assessment of the current state of marine litter is carried out, including surveys, data analysis and mapping of litter hotspots along coastal areas. After assessing the situation, in order to effectively deal with marine litter, a specific method is put in place. To do this, special marine litter tools, included in the PROMAR BlueBox such as floating barriers, coastal clean-up teams/beach sampling guide, and community-led clean-up projects are used.
At the same time, a multi-faceted approach is taken to raise awareness of marine litter. It involves educational campaigns, workshops and community engagement activities aimed at informing residents, businesses and tourists about the harmful effects of marine litter on coastal ecosystems and livelihoods. It works with local schools, NGOs and government agencies to expand outreach efforts and foster a culture of environmental protection. In addition, the pilot project places particular emphasis on evaluating the effectiveness of these actions. Key performance indicators such as volume of litter collected, reduction in litter accumulation rates, changes in citizens' litter disposal behaviour and improvements in the health of coastal ecosystems are carefully monitored and analysed. Regular monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are established to assess the progress of the pilot project and to identify areas for improvement.
