Zero-Waste Initiatives in Dominica

Dominica is at the forefront of environmental innovation within the Eastern Caribbean through its Zero-Waste initiatives, central to a regional movement championed by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS). In September 2022, the Kalinago Territory Zero Waste Community Project began, aiming to reduce waste and marine litter by separating recyclables and organic matter, improving bulky item management, and expanding collection services in rural communities. The Dominica Solid Waste Management Corporation (DSWMC), supported by the ReMLit Project funded by Norway, designed a five-point community model for sustainable waste management.

As part of the Recycle OECS Model Demonstration Project, stand-alone from March 2023, Dominica and Grenada were selected as leading pilot countries. Funded by the European Union and implemented by OECS in partnership with Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the initiative seeks to develop a self-financing, regional model for plastic separation, collection, and recycling under the wider EU Zero-Waste Caribbean Programme.The DSWMC is spearheading public policy dialogues, stakeholder engagement, and adaptation of the model in local contexts.

Zero-Waste in Education and Community Engagement

In March 2024, Dominica launched the Zero-Waste Schools Program. A collaboration among schools, 4-H clubs, businesses, and OECS, this program reached nearly 3,000 students across 45 schools and 57 clubs. It established green spaces, compost systems, and recycling depots, and taught waste monitoring with the Debris Tracker App in partnership with the University of Georgia.

Earlier, as part of the community pilot in the Kalinago Territory, households began separating plastics, glass, and cans for collection. Recommendations included color-coded communal bins and scheduled pickups to reduce stray-animal foraging and transportation costs, highlighting a replicable path for rural waste systems.