SKANDIS leads the way in Recycling
By VonDez Phipps
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – The recently established St. Kitts-Nevis Disposals (SKANDIS) has inaugurated the Micro-pilot Recycling Programme at the Verchilds High School, with an aim to reduce, re-use and recycle some garbage materials.
The programme was introduced to the school a month ago and has seen enthusiasm and active participation from the student body and staff as they recognize the need to reduce the amount of waste produced.
Addison Warner, principal of the School, told SKNVibes that the project aims to sensitise students on the need to preserve and encourage healthier environments.
He added that recycling plastics is important because the material is not biodegradable and adds to the unmanageable congestion of the landfill.
“There are too many plastic containers just lying around, so we identified two bins in which only plastic is to go. The plastic bottles are taken by SKANDIS to be recycled. They have already taken the first two loads with over 20 garbage bags of plastic.
“We have the responsibility to take care of the environment for the future. This will not in itself fix the global problem but it is a start and this could help to ensure that future generations have a healthy and clean environment.
“We are the smallest public school on the island and if we generate so much plastic, just imagine what all the other larger schools produce. Hopefully this start can urge other schools to get on board and even the government can pass legislation to allow such recycling.” ~~Adz:Right~~
General Manager of SKANDIS Orelma Wattley informed that the company recognized that recycling practices are important but were being overlooked. She said that the best place to start is in the school, as the students would take the concept back home and help in spreading the theme of recycling to the general public.
“We are stressing the message of reducing, reusing, recycling, so that we can return our immediate surroundings to cleanliness. Omar caused the sea to regurgitate all of the non-biodegradable garbage that we put in it; it was nature’s way of saying that it is fed up with our improper disposal of plastic.
“I know that at first people may not be open to the idea but this first step in separating our garbage would help us all. In fact, we have plans to get the plastic shredded and compacted in order to ship them away for recycling, thus making revenue for the country.”
Wattley informed that SKANDIS is expected to meet with Solid Waste Management Corporation representatives to come to an agreement in relation to measures that can be taken to deal with the current problem of garbage disposal. She mentioned that the decision would then be taken to the community, to let people know what contributions they can make in the same regard.
Wattley also informed that the disposal company will be working closely with the government as she says “we can’t do it on our own. We have to educate and expose the public to the hazard that plastics pose to the environment”.
