This October, the Recycle Organics programme, funded by Environment and Climate Change Canada, will be handing out 200 composting bins and kits to local communities in Saint Lucia.
Recycle Organics (RO) will begin its Home Composting Programme from October 21-26. It will distribute 200 composting kits to six pilot communities to kick off this new initiative. The RO team will host composting training sessions and workshops with community leaders and citizens in:
• Micoud (October 22)
• Soufriere (October 23)
• Saint Lucia National Housing Corporation Development – Monchy, Gros-Islet (October 26)
• Emerald Development, Corinth, Gros-Islet (October 26)
• Carellie, Castries (October 26)
• Beausejour, Gros-Islet (October 26)
The initiative aims to foster stronger climate resilience at the neighbourhood/community level and to support the country in lowering its greenhouse gas emissions stemming from the waste sector. Home composting is a cost-effective and eco-friendly way to manage organic waste. By composting at home, families and communities reduce the waste sent to landfills, thereby lowering methane emissions, a greenhouse gas that has contributed to over 30% of global warming today.
Home-produced compost enriches soil, supports healthy plant growth and serves as an educational tool for sustainable waste management practices.
“Beyond mitigating methane emissions, composting offers a range of additional benefits that include reducing the reliance on synthetic fertilizers, enhancing soil water retention and fostering awareness of the circular economy among practitioners,” said RO Program Coordinator and Technical Consultant Beltrán Duhart. “Often, individuals who begin composting are inspired to cultivate small gardens and recycle inorganic materials, so we are excited to promote composting in Saint Lucia as a gateway to a more sustainable lifestyle for its communities.”
Additionally, RO will support the Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority (SLSWMA) in the development of a regulatory instrument aimed at promoting the improvement of organic waste management, while also launching an education programme and network for source separation amongst key stakeholders in the hospitality industry, including hotel and other accommodation sector workers.
“The Saint Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority supports the Recycle Organics Project and encourages households to embrace home composting as a sustainable solution for reducing organic waste, enriching soils and diverting waste from the landfill,” said SLSWMA Information & Communication Manager Emlyn Jean.
The Recycle Organics Programme aims to assist countries in meeting the Global Methane Pledge to reduce methane emissions by 30% by 2030. Led by CCAP and ImplementaSur, the programme focuses on policies and projects to promote the sustainable expansion of organic waste treatment technologies.
It particularly supports developing countries and Small Island Developing States vulnerable to climate change impacts. The programme collaborates with countries like Belize, Grenada, Guyana, and Saint Lucia to provide technical assistance in the Municipal Solid Waste sector to reduce methane emissions in the long term.
The programme operates in over 20 countries globally and has the potential to mitigate up to +30.1 million tons of CO2e.