The Fitches Creek Residents Association (FCRA) is moving forward with a Sustainable Waste Management pilot project in Fitches Creek Bay, within the Northeast Marine Management Area (NEMMA), following the delivery of sorting bins through the National Solid Waste Management Authority's (NSWMA) ReMLIT Project.
The pilot introduces a structured household waste separation system, distributing bins designated for plastic recycling, compost, and non-organic waste. Training, monitoring, and data collection will support the rollout, with the broader goal of driving long-term behavioural change and improving community-level waste management outcomes within a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA).
FCRA Board Chairman Clement Samuel noted the lengthy road to this point. "This has been a long process. We have been working on this since January 2020, which is before the Covid-19 pandemic. We are not there yet, but we're coordinating transport and labour funding to ensure a smooth rollout within a two-week window," he said.
The initiative is backed by a donation from the Reduction in Marine Litter (ReMLit) Project, funded by the Government of Norway through the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ReMLit Project is a regional programme that supported six OECS Member States — Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines — providing funding and technical assistance to address marine pollution and strengthen waste management systems across the Eastern Caribbean.
Locally, the project was implemented by the NSWMA and the Department of Environment (DOE), with coordination from the OECS Commission under the broader Building Resilience in the Eastern Caribbean through Reduction in Marine Litter programme. "This pilot marks a meaningful step in local recycling efforts, with community participation supported through international cooperation," said FCRA Board Member Kyla Williamson.
The FCRA's capacity to implement the pilot was also bolstered by the "Building a Community Constituency for Conservation in the Fitches Creek Bay and the NEMMA" project, funded by the Critical Ecosystems Partnership Fund (CEPF) and implemented with support from regional partner CANARI. That foundational work reinforced the association's commitment to biodiversity conservation and community-led environmental action.
Project Manager Britney McDonald highlighted the initiative's wider significance. "This project has broader implications for how waste can be sorted at the household level and how we can develop practical solutions to support the National Solid Waste Management Authority. As the CEPF project comes to a close, this is a natural transition for the FCRA to continue its mission." McDonald also called on partners and stakeholders to support the initiative through sponsorship or in-kind contributions, stressing the importance of collaboration in scaling community-based environmental solutions.
The ReMLit Project pursues three primary objectives: enhancing policy and legislation for effective waste management, raising awareness of marine litter issues, and implementing concrete interventions to reduce and control marine pollution. These align with the Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy (ECROP), particularly Priority 3, which promotes sustainable economic development, and Priority 4, which focuses on reforming ocean governance.
To achieve its goals, the project takes a six-point approach encompassing the strengthening of waste management systems, enabling recycling markets, developing incentives to reduce plastic and Styrofoam use, improving regional waste movement, enhancing national policy frameworks, and supporting community-based interventions such as the FCRA pilot.
The FCRA extended its appreciation to the NSWMA and the OECS Commission for their partnership, noting that their collaboration ensures community-led action is reinforced by national and regional systems.
For more information, contact Project Manager Britney McDonald at [email protected] or visit the "FCRA Community Projects" Facebook page.
