Situation
In Barbados, as in other Caribbean islands, litter is an ongoing problem. Inadequate waste management, a lack of infrastructure and apathy are among the many reasons why the problem remains. Much of the debris is plastic waste that makes its way into rivers, waterways and ultimately the ocean. In fact, many islands in the Caribbean are listed among the world’s top plastic waste polluters per capita1. And the effects are devastating - to both the environment and communities.
Solution
PwC East Caribbean teamed with Newport Water to provide access to free, purified water at a refilling station in November 2021. The aim is to provide an alternative to buying bottled water while still encouraging a healthy lifestyle in Barbados. Keeping hydrated and choosing water over juices and fizzy drinks, especially given the country’s high level of diabetes and obesity, supports the individual while helping to ease the burden on the healthcare system. And promoting the use of refillable water receptacles ultimately reduces the generation of plastic waste and protects the environment, creating a more sustainable future for the community.
The water station is located in a high traffic area and is easily accessible, helping to provide the best chance of creating a positive impact. Newport Water tracks and reports on the use of the water station and provides estimates on the numbers of plastic water bottles saved from becoming litter.
Impact
The water station allows those living in and visiting Barbados to access water at no cost, while emphasising the importance of keeping plastic bottles out of the oceans and reminding people to, “Refill. Refresh. Reduce.”
As people fill their bottles at this water station, the fill count - over 100,000 500ml bottle fills as of November 2022 - shows the immense impact the water station is having on fighting plastic pollution. Since Newport Water started the Hydrate Barbados initiative project in 2020, the stations have reached over 700,000 bottles filled. Ocean plastic is a continuing issue negatively impacting our marine life, delicate ecosystems and the climate. The water station, and others like it, are quite literally saving plastic bottles from ending up littering our streets and oceans.
1Hannah Ritchie and Max Roser (2018) - "Plastic Pollution". Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution' [Online Resource]
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