National Solid Waste Management Authority Advances Sustainable Waste Management Pilot in Fitches Creek Bay, NEMMA

The Fitches Creek Residents Association (FCRA), a community-based organization, is advancing its Sustainable Waste Management in the Fitches Creek Bay, NEMMA. Through the National Solid Waste Management Authority’s (NSWMA) led ReMLIT Project, the FCRA has received a contribution of sorting bins to its ongoing waste management activities. This transformative initiative aims at improving waste practices, strengthening community engagement, and protecting critical wetland ecosystems within a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA).

The pilot project introduces a structured household waste separation system, which includes the distribution of sorting bins for Plastic Waste Recycling, Compost, and Non-Organic Waste. These efforts will be supported by training, monitoring, and data collection systems designed to build long-term behavioral change and improve waste management outcomes at the community level.

“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 labor funding to ensure a smooth rollout within a two week window,” said FCRA Board Chairman, Clement Samuel.

The initiative is supported through 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 effort that supported six OECS Member States: Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines through funding and technical assistance to address marine pollution and strengthen waste management systems across the Eastern Caribbean.

The project was implemented locally by the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA) and the Department of Environment (DOE), with coordination support from the OECS Commission under the broader Building Resilience in the Eastern Caribbean through Reduction in Marine Litter programme. “This pilot [project] 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 this pilot project was strengthened through 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. This foundational work demonstrated the association’s commitment to biodiversity conservation, waste management, and community-led action.

Project Manager, Britney McDonald, expressed enthusiasm about the initiative’s broader impact: “This project has wider 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.” She further invites partners and stakeholders to support the initiative through sponsorship or in-kind contributions, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in scaling community-based environmental solutions.

The Fitches Creek Residents Association extends its appreciation to the National Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), and the OECS Commission for their partnership and support in advancing this pilot project. Their collaboration ensures that community-led action is strengthened by national and regional systems, reinforcing the shared commitment to sustainable waste management and environmental stewardship across Antigua and Barbuda and the wider Eastern Caribbean.

About the ReMLit Project: The project pursues three primary objectives: enhancing policy and legislation for effective waste management, increasing awareness of marine litter issues, and undertaking concrete interventions to reduce and control pollution in the marine environment. These objectives align with the Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy (ECROP), particularly Priority 3: Promote Sustainable Economic Development, and Priority 4: Reform Ocean Governance.

To achieve its goals, the ReMLit Project implements a comprehensive six-point approach, including strengthening 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 project.

The “Building a Community Constituency for Conservation in the Fitches Creek Bay and the NEMMA” Project is led by the Fitches Creek Residents Association and is funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) with the support of the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute Regional Implementation Team (CANARI-RIT) and project partner Integrated Health Outreach.

For more information about the project and upcoming events, please contact the Sustainable Waste Management in Fitches Creek Bay, NEMMA, Project Manager, Britney McDonald, [email protected] or the “FCRA Community Projects” Facebook page.

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