2. Noni Georges Islands VIII November 2004 Case Study of Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI) Exploring Solid-Waste as an Indicator of Sustainability in Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

3. Outline Background Concepts Background Concepts Island Sustainability Island Sustainability Measuring Sustainability Measuring Sustainability Waste Management Waste Management Case Study: Case Study: Study Area Study Area Solid Waste Trends Solid Waste Trends Implications Implications Conclusion Conclusion

4. Conceptual Diagram Island Sustainability Waste Management Measuring Sustainability

5. Island Sustainability h

6. Island System

7. System Boundary Environment Open System Matter Energy Matter Energy

8. Measuring Progress Commitments to: - Agenda 21 - Barbados Program of Action - St. Georges Declaration

9. Problem Caribbean SIDS have not yet begun to address assessing physical progress towards sustainable development

10. Silence of SIDS Understandable Lack research capabilities Lack research capabilities Focus on assessing vulnerabilities Focus on assessing vulnerabilitiesRegrettable Obligated to assess progress Obligated to assess progress Excellent candidates for sustainable development research Excellent candidates for sustainable development research

11. Waste Management

12. Extraction Processing ProductionConsumption Disposal

13. Definition Materials that we or use can not or do not use

14. Economic Process Depends on high quality material inputs Depends on high quality material inputs Converts high quality materials into low quality wastes Converts high quality materials into low quality wastes Environment is the source of inputs and sink for wastes Environment is the source of inputs and sink for wastes

15. Survival of Society Continuation of the economic process Continuation of the economic process

16. Question I

25. Solid Waste Management System

26. Storage

27. Collection

28. Treatment

30. Trends 1995 - 2000

31. Limitations Accuracy Accuracy Lack of public co-operation Lack of public co-operation Weigh scale maintenance Weigh scale maintenance Inconsistent record keeping Inconsistent record keeping Utility Utility Outdated composition study Outdated composition study Origin of wastes unknown Origin of wastes unknown

32. Growth in Waste Quantities

33. Population Growth Population Growth Visitor Contribution Visitor Contribution Local Contribution Local Contribution Economic Growth Economic Growth GDP GDP Consumption Consumption

34. Visitor Contribution Overnight visitor arrivals Overnight visitor arrivals 365,000 - 474,000 365,000 - 474,000 Effective visitor population Effective visitor population (number of visitors x average length of stay / 365) (number of visitors x average length of stay / 365) 4,400 - 8,000 4,400 - 8,000 Waste Generation Estimates Waste Generation Estimates Land-based visitors (3.0 kg/day) Land-based visitors (3.0 kg/day) Water-based visitors (1.6 kg/day) Water-based visitors (1.6 kg/day) Cruise visitors (1.77 kg/day) Cruise visitors (1.77 kg/day)

36. Local Contribution Total Solid Waste – Visitor Contribution Total Solid Waste – Visitor Contribution Population Scenarios Population Scenarios 2% 2% 3.8% 3.8%

38. Local & Visitor Waste Contribution 199520001998 1996 19971999 Tons per day

39. Economic Growth GDP $315 - $680 million GDP $315 - $680 million GDP / capita $18,900 - $33,700 GDP / capita $18,900 - $33,700

40. Waste per unit GDP

41. Imports vs. Exports

42. Waste vs. Size

43. Discussion

44. Limited waste system capacity Storage Storage Collection Collection Treatment Treatment Disposal Disposal

45. Assimilation Capacity Soil Soil Air Air Water Water

46. Material Build-up in Island System

47. ECONOMIC PROCESSING Imports $1,019 million Exports $137 million DPO (86,926 t solid waste) Domestic Environment Rest of the world

48. Increased Waste per Economic Output Unsustainable Unsustainable

49. Tourism Carrying Capacity = F (Total waste capacity - Local needs)

50. Economic Capacity to afford sound waste management system Capacity to afford sound waste management system $1.5 million $1.5 million No tipping fees No tipping fees No user fees No user fees No recycling/deposit-refund scheme No recycling/deposit-refund scheme

51. Social Lack of waste management programmes, policy, laws, regulations indicates lack of recognition that waste management failures need to be addressed Lack of waste management programmes, policy, laws, regulations indicates lack of recognition that waste management failures need to be addressed Contradicts National Policy Goal for Sustainable Development Contradicts National Policy Goal for Sustainable Development

52. Conclusion and Recommendations

53. Conclusions 1. Solid-waste reflects environmental, social, and economic aspects of Tortola’s sustainability Feasible indicator of sustainability and should be utilized as such Feasible indicator of sustainability and should be utilized as such

54. Conclusions 2. Indicators on material inputs to the economy are required to provide a true picture of the economy’s physical dimensions This information not yet collected by the BVI Government This information not yet collected by the BVI Government

55. Conclusions 3. Value of waste as a resource has not been recognized

56. “Earth, like Nauru [island] is finite. An island in the ocean of space.” (McDaniel and Gowdy, “Paradise for Sale”)

57. Acknowledgements Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Programme Canadian Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Programme BVI Government BVI Government Ministry Natural Resources & Labour Ministry Natural Resources & Labour Ministry Health & Welfare Ministry Health & Welfare BVI Tourist Board BVI Tourist Board Chief Minister’s Office Chief Minister’s Office SRES faculty, staff, and colleagues SRES faculty, staff, and colleagues Committee members Committee members Family, friends and BVI community Family, friends and BVI community

58. Recommendations 1. Physical indicators on solid-waste should be included in national statistics Quantity of waste received Quantity of waste received Quantity of waste incinerated Quantity of waste incinerated Volume of waste/ash for disposal Volume of waste/ash for disposal Composition of waste stream Composition of waste stream

59. Recommendations 2. Physical indicators on material inputs to the economy should be included in national statistics Direct material input Direct material input Domestic input Domestic input Imports Imports

60. Recommendations 3. Waste management failures must be addressed A national waste policy is needed A national waste policy is needed Public education a matter of priority Public education a matter of priority

61. Further Study Waste composition study Waste composition study Waste generation studies Waste generation studies Sectoral waste studies Sectoral waste studies Material flow analyses (e.g. pallets, bottles, tyres) Material flow analyses (e.g. pallets, bottles, tyres) Direct material input Direct material input Material flow accounts Material flow accounts