By Samantha Simon
Local non-profit organization Good Humans 268 joined forces with Anjo and the National Solid Waste Management Authority to clean up Runaway Beach in celebration of Earth Day, which was observed yesterday.
The collaborative effort, which drew somewhere between 30 and 50 volunteers, yielded an impressive truckload of garbage collected from the beach.
“We picked up 30 bags of recyclables,” said Joshuanette Francis, founder of Good Humans 268.
“The most interesting – and disturbing – find was an entire toilet that had been discarded on the beach.”
Francis expressed dismay that some individuals have been treating the beach area as an illegal dumpsite, leaving behind large waste items like televisions and washing machines in addition to the typical bottles, cans, and plastic waste.
However, the beach cleanup was about more than just removing existing litter. It was also an opportunity to raise awareness of proper waste disposal and recycling practices, especially among Antigua’s youth.
Good Humans 268 runs a student community service programme designed to instill values of environmental sustainability and conservation from kindergarten through high school.
“When they leave these schools, they’re going to be environmentally conscious,” Francis said of the students. “When legislation is passed for better practices, we’re not going to have the problems we’re having now.”
Meanwhile, the 30 bags of recyclables collected will be processed for reuse.
The coloured plastic will go to the Antigua and Barbuda Recycling Corporation, which has machinery to convert it into outdoor furniture and tiles.
Clear plastics will be sent to a company in the U.S. that specializes in making clothing from recycled plastics.
Glass will be sent to a facility in the US to be transformed into commercial-grade sand.
Currently a sample chair, made of recycled plastic, is on display at the Ministry of Health, with hopes to make the furnishing commercially available to the public as soon as possible.
“The reality is that all of it is reusable,” Francis stated. “We’re researching what we can do to make Antigua and Barbuda an eco-friendly country that meets the Sustainable Development Goals.”
Good Humans 268 has further initiatives planned, aiming to place recycling stations across the island at schools, businesses, restaurants, hotels and residences.
The long-term vision is to build an entire circular economy around waste collection and recycled product manufacturing that will create employment opportunities for disabled individuals.
“If we wait for the perfect time and condition, change is never going to happen,” Francis said. “We just have to adapt, adjust, and be patient.”