Antigua and Barbuda Advances Waste Reform Plan with Regional Support

(Antigua and Barbuda Advances Solid Waste Reform Through Regional Collaboration and New Development Initiative)

Antigua and Barbuda reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening national waste management systems during the 8th Meeting of the Regional Programme Steering Committee (RPSC) for the Zero Waste in the Caribbean Project: New Ways, New Waves. The meeting, attended by Indira James Henry, General Manager of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, brought together regional solid waste managers and technicians to review progress, discuss strategic priorities, and outline the path towards the project closure in July 2026.

Discussions during the meeting focused on the status of outstanding activities, opportunities for mobilising future funding for national and regional initiatives, and recommendations for the establishment of a Community of Practice Group to enhance collaboration among countries to progress the field of waste managment.

Participants also reviewed key highlights for the week of March 16–20, 2026, and confirmed timelines for the final RPSC meeting in June 2026 ahead of the project’s official closure on July 7, 2026.

At the conclusion of the meeting, Antigua and Barbuda identified five priority areas to guide its national solid waste management agenda these include:

1. the development of an updated waste policy framework.
2. the remediation of the existing dumpsite alongside the establishment of new or upgraded disposal facilities.
3. the acquisition of essential equipment for collection, disposal, and materials recovery.
4. the reduction of illegal dumping.
5. the design and implementation of a sustainable financing and cost recovery mechanism.

In keeping with this renewed national focus, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda (GOAB) has applied for financing from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) to support the Integrated Solid Waste Management Preparation Project. This initiative will facilitate the launch of technical assistance for consultancy services aimed at conducting a comprehensive feasibility study, preparing detailed engineering designs, and developing an integrated solid waste management strategy tailored to the country’s needs.

The consultancy is expected to assess the current solid and liquid waste systems, identifying technical, financial, institutional, environmental, and social gaps while highlighting opportunities for improvement.

It will also evaluate a range of waste management solutions, including collection systems, recycling, composting, treatment options, sanitary landfilling, and the management of hazardous and special waste streams, all while incorporating climate resilience and disaster risk considerations.

Additionally, the project will produce detailed engineering designs, cost estimates, and bidding documents for modernised waste management infrastructure, including the expansion or development of sanitary landfill sites and the closure and remediation of existing disposal sites.

A long-term Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy will also be developed to promote sustainable operations, resource recovery, and circular economy principles, supported by appropriate institutional, regulatory, and financial frameworks, including public-private partnership opportunities and public awareness initiatives.

The General Manager emphasized that collaboration through shared regional experiences provides a environment for awareness, problem solving, best practices and exposure to supply chains that can aide in the overall management and solution of waste management issues.

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