Pandemic Pains- Managing Biomedical Waste

With the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries have grappled with increased pressures on national resources, of which waste management systems have been on the forefront. Indeed, the very nature of the pandemic has led to increased generation of biomedical waste, particularly plastic, utilised as protective gear. In light of this, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) extended technical assistance to the country to integrate the environment into its response and recovery from the COVID-19 crisis. The Ministry of Planning and Development, through the EPPD was able to successfully mobilise financial resources from UNEP towards a four month project aimed at strengthening the national capacity to address deficits within the national biomedical waste management system; to not only assist with immediate medical related emergencies but also future contingency planning.

On July 22, 2021 a virtual Inception Meeting was held to officially launch the project. The twenty-three (23) attendees represented UNEP, the BCRC-Caribbean, the Ministry of Planning and Development and other key national organisations which comprise the Project Working Committee. Dr David Persaud, Environmental Manager, EPPD, delivered the opening remarks, while Ms. Keima Gardiner presented an overview of the project since its initiation to participants, and Ms. Tushara Maharaj provided the closing remarks for the session.

Implementation has since commenced for the three project components: Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAP) Surveys on biomedical waste management for households, health institutions and waste contractors; an Assessment of the Current status of the biomedical waste management; and a Sensitization and Capacity Building Programme on biomedical waste management. The KAP surveys were launched in September 2021, with the household survey being disseminated at a national scale for a ten (10) day period.

It is envisioned that by improving the capacity of the country to alleviate the pressures within the biomedical waste management sector and increasing public awareness and knowledge transfer, this will work towards the minimisation of the risks posed to health care workers, waste handlers, the national community, and the environment from improper handling and disposal of biomedical waste.

More than Trash Talk!-Guanapo Outreach Workshops

The Guanapo Landfill, located on the outskirts of Arima, is a non-engineered site. As a mechanism to control the existing risks and manage potential negative impacts to public health, ecosystems and the environment, particularly the groundwater and the surrounding Maturita River and El Cedro Stream, an Environmental Risk Management Programme (ERMP) is being implemented. Site investigations over two opposing seasons were conducted to better understand the impacts and inform recommendations to improve the site conditions. In order to mitigate potential risks to human health and minimise impacts to the environment it is imperative that the results of the studies are communicated with the potentially affected receptors; the residents and those with vested interests around the Guanapo Landfill. Thus, a Risk Communication Plan formed an integral part of the ERMP.

On Saturday 4 September, 2021 two virtual workshops were held; in the morning period for farmers with fields and/or farms in the direct vicinity of the Landfill, and the nearby watercourses, or those using the surface water e.g. for irrigation; and in the afternoon for residents living approximately 100 metres from the Landfill and 50 metres from the Matura River or El Cedro Stream.

The Workshops were hosted by the Dutch-based consultants, TAUW. Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist, delivered remarks on behalf of the Ministry and in her capacity as Chair of the national Project Working Committee for the project.

To bolster the sustainability of the community outreach, the consultants developed a lively platform on Microsoft Sway for sharing project updates. A handy commemorative planner was another communications tool developed and distributed to residents and farmers, with useful tips on minimising risks inserted for each month. The younger stakeholders received a local children’s novel on waste management as a token.

Fighting POPs through Fire Fighting Foams

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a group of toxic, man-made chemicals, and as part of a regional GEF-funded POPs project, in 2016 inventories were conducted to determine the status of these POPs chemicals in the country. One group of these POPs is perfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). PFAS is a group of man-made chemicals which degrade very slowly, and have the ability to repel oil, grease and water. This has led to its widespread use in several applications, including in firefighting foams.

Coming out of the inventory on firefighting foams, it was noted that one of the sub-groups of PFAS, perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), may not be present, however, there are other related substances such as perfluorooctanoic acids (PFOA) that may still present a challenge. In light of this, and given the recommendation within the PFOS inventory report that a more detailed inventory of firefighting foams should be conducted, the national Project Working Committee (PWC) under the project developed a pilot proposal on PFOS/PFAS, specifically for the Tobago arm of the Fire Services, given the limited financial resources.

The objective of the pilot project is to reduce the human health and environmental impacts of PFOS/PFAS firefighting foams used in Tobago Fire Stations, by catalyzing a sustainable transition towards use of safer PFOS/PFAS-free alternatives. There are three (3) main project components:

1. Identification and analysis of firefighting foams
2. Assessment of barriers and opportunities for use of PFOS/PFAS free alternatives
3. Information and Awareness Communications Campaign

The Kick-Off Meeting for the project was held on August 27, 2021 with the Chair of the PWC, Ms. Keima Gardiner, Ministry of Planning and Development; key members of the PWC, namely the EMA and the THA’s representative; the BCRC Caribbean; and the Trinidad and Tobago Fire Service representative for the Tobago Fire stations. The project is anticipated to be completed in December 2021.

The Convention on Biological Diversity's Meetings of its Open-ended Working Group on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, August-September, 2021

After more than a year of postponements the third meeting of the Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG-3) on the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) was convened virtually, to discuss the first draft of the GBF. This plan is intended to be the Convention’s latest strategic plan, on the heels of the expired 2011- 2020 Strategic Plan, and its 20 Aichi Biodiversity; it includes a new set of goals and targets to curb global biodiversity loss.

The two (2) weeks of discussions amongst Parties and the CBD Secretariat (though not formal negotiations) allowed the Working Group to conduct a text-based review of the first draft of the GBF, and produced a first draft report, which includes important statements from the discussions held in contact groups. The first draft report will form the basis of in-person discussions of the

WG, that are tentatively scheduled for January 2022, in Geneva, Switzerland.

Delegates met over four plenary sessions and across several contact groups to hold discussions which mainly centred on:

• Goals, Milestones and the Overall Structure of the Strategy;
• Reducing Threats for Biodiversity;
• Tools and Solutions for Implementation and Biodiversity Mainstreaming;
• Nature’s Contributions to People; and
• Digital Sequency Information on genetic resources.

The Government of Republic of Trinidad and Tobago was represented at the OEWG-3 on the Post-2020 GBF, from August 23rd to September 3rd, 2021, by the following members of the Environmental Policy and Planning Division:

• Ms. Lena Dempewolf, Biodiversity Specialist
• Ms. Candace Amoroso, Biodiversity Specialist
• Mr. Julius Smith, Environmental Biologist
• Mr. Kevin Bhajan Environmental Policy Analyst

There were over 1600 delegates registered for the WG, coming from 141 parties, one non-party, and more than 200 observer organisations.

Biodiversity Pre-Conference of the Parties (Pre-COP)

On the 30th August, a Biodiversity Pre-COP was held, to promote the high-level political commitment for the adoption of the GBF. The event, was hosted by the Government of Colombia, convened in a hybrid format featuring a physical meeting in Colombia, and online. This event gathered heads of state and government, ministers, heads of international organisations, and representatives of multilateral banks, women, youth, and indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs). Participants discussed priorities and expectations for an ambitious and effective GBF. Discussions focused on sustainable consumption and production patterns, mainstreaming, and means of implementation in the context of the GBF.

During the sessions climate change, alongside biodiversity loss was pointed to as being the greatest threats to the planet. It was highlighted that there is a need for specific GBF targets, additional financial resources to fund the implementation of the GBF and debt alleviation.

The meeting also received support from three political coalitions, namely the Leaders Pledge for Nature, the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, and the Global Ocean Alliance (the latter two, of which Trinidad and Tobago has recently become a member), which jointly reaffirmed their role in reversing biodiversity loss by 2030.

GGCA Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Survey, Trinidad and Tobago

The Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, through the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD), in collaboration with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), and the National Red Cross, has embarked on a nationwide survey to capture citizens’ knowledge, attitude and practises towards climate change and its impacts on their country.

The Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) survey is a key output of the communications component of the project, “Enhancing Climate Resilience in CARIFOURM Countries”, which is funded by the European Union (EU) under the Intra-ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+). The project is part of a global programme seeking to support the climate compatible development of the CARIFOURM countries to combat the negative impacts of climate change and disasters.

While predictions are that Caribbean countries are expected to face more adverse extreme weather events, many citizens have not connected extreme weather events to climate change. Awareness of how climate change can and will intersect every aspect of daily life is also lacking. The findings from Trinidad and Tobago’s KAP towards climate change and its subsequent use in developing a National Climate Change Public Education and Outreach Strategy will assist in making these connections and narrow knowledge gaps.

The Ministry of Planning and Development, which serves as the National Focal Point to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change encourages citizens to welcome the Red Cross team and have their voices heard.

It is important to hear from our citizens so that their specific information needs and recommendations concerning climate change is obtained. It’s the only way we can enhance our awareness and tailor capacity-building strategies to inform and empower citizens, decision-makers, and all layers of society to make changes that will build climate resilience and reduce their carbon footprint.

In Trinidad and Tobago, the National Red Cross team commenced the administration of this survey on September 1, 2021 and will conclude in October 2021.

Inception Meeting for “Phasing out of Mercury Added Products in Trinidad and Tobago” Project

The European Environmental Bureau (EEB), in coordination with the Zero Mercury Working Group (ZMWG), has offered assistance to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago (GoRTT), primarily in the development, implementation and execution of a project to phase out mercury-added products (MAPs) in line with the Minamata Convention on mercury. This project is part of the third phase of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Multilateral Environmental Agreement Programme (ACP MEA III) and the EEB having received a UNEP grant will be assisting amongst others, a few countries in the Caribbean region to work on several mercury-related activities. For Trinidad and Tobago this project is natural progression following national participation in the Project “Development of Minamata Initial Assessments (MIA) in the Caribbean” that ended in 2019 which facilitated key studies such as national mercury inventory, institutional framework assessment as well as, contaminated sites assessment.

The key areas of interest that this project will be addressing are the development of a road map for phasing out MAPs; conducting a market study of mercury free alternative; assessment and focalizing of existing institutional capacity to support mercury-added product phase-out activities; development of a mercury-free product procurement strategy; development of plan for a single stream product management pilot project for the environmentally sound management of single stream(s) high mercury products (e.g. thermometers, thermostats); development of a National Implementation Plan for addressing mercury-added products.

The Ministry of Planning and Development being the focal point for this project is also the Chair to a multi-stakeholder project National Working Group (NWG) with members from governmental, non-governmental organizations and even private sector associations, that will be engaged throughout the project’s implementation, monitoring and evaluation phases.

On Thursday 23 September, 2021 the Inception Meeting for the “Phasing out of Mercury Added Products in Trinidad and Tobago” Project was held virtually, to mark the official kick-off of project activities. The project is expected to have a lifespan of 18-24 months culminating with a regional (Caribbean) information sharing session in 2023.

Although not yet party to the Minamata Convention, initiatives such as these are necessary for Trinidad and Tobago to address the many of the areas of concern identified and in defining a clearer path towards improved management of mercury.

Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution

With the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) the governments of Ecuador, Germany, Ghana and Vietnam jointly organised the first of its kind, “Ministerial Conference on Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution” aimed at tackling the growing issue of marine litter and plastic pollution, specifically through mandates set out in UNEA 3/7 and 4/6 that deal specifically with Marine Plastic Litter and Microplastics. The conference took place from 1-2 September, 2021 in a hybrid format, with some participants attending in-person at the World Trade Organization (WTO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland and others online. Ahead of this conference, two preparatory meetings were held virtually from 27-28 May and 28-29 June, 2021 which allowed for informal discussions on the main thematic work streams of this envisioned global agreement.

Preceding the September meeting a Ministerial Statement was drafted by the co-conveners of the conference, calling for UNEA to establish an intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC) heading into the resumption of the 5th session of the UN Environmental Assembly (UNEA 5.2) in February 2022; with the INC having a mandate to develop a global instrument/agreement to combat marine litter and plastic pollution.

With an aim of building on the momentum of the ongoing international discussions and making more concrete statements, the conference provided for a consultative process of the revised Ministerial Statement, whereby countries, non-governmental organizations and even private sector entities shared reflections on both the document and the proposed global agreement. During the conference it was reported that twenty-five country endorsements were garnered.

Attending virtually, Trinidad and Tobago’s delegation comprised of Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist and Ms. Tushara Maharaj, Environmental Engineering Specialist from the Ministry of Planning and Development, alongside Mrs. Wendy Nelson, Senior Research Officer/ Chemist at the Institute of Marine Affairs. With the upcoming UNEA 5.2, this delegation has since provided recommendations regarding the development of a global agreement highlighting key elements to consider such as addressing marine litter and plastic pollution prevention and reduction; National and regional cooperation and coordination; financial and technical support; and data collection, monitoring and reporting.

"Management of E-waste in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago" Project

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) has allocated a proposed USD 270,000.00 towards the development of a technical project entitled “Management of E-waste in Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago” (Project: RG-T3726). This three (3) year, project was developed in collaboration with the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer in the Caribbean (BCRC-Caribbean) with the main objectives being to:

• collect data on e-waste generation and composition, identification of stakeholders and of existing pathways of disposal and market conditions for the recovery of recyclable materials;
• develop of updated national e-waste assessment reports for the participating countries; and
• design a Sub Regional E Waste Management Plan, including training modules for the staff that will run the Plan and a business plan for the proposed management solution.

The last component of this project will involve the BCRC-Caribbean developing and disseminating project results and facilitating knowledge dissemination (public awareness and education elements) to a wider audience example, through social media graphics, posters, flyers, brochures, so as to aid the sustainability of the project’s initiatives.

The project will be executed through a collaborative effort between the BCRC Caribbean and the Institute of Waste Management of the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences (BOKU in its German acronym) from Vienna, Austria. BOKU has extensive capacity, tools and resources for developing scientific methods and approaches as well as implementation plans for the management of collection and treatment systems of e-waste in a global and local context. The project will also enlist the skills of a National Project Assistant, as well as Legal and Environmental Economics experts.

The Regional Kick-off Meeting was hosted virtually on August 17, 2021 by the BCRC-Caribbean in collaboration with BOKU, with attendance by all the participating countries as well as the funding agency (IDB). The Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) delegation consisted of members from the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD) and the Environmental Management Authority (EMA), as the National Focal Point and Competent Authority, respectively. The MPD chairs the project’s now established National Working Group and was represented at the meeting by Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist and Ms. Tushara Maharaj, Environmental Engineering Specialist.

Trinidad and Tobago’s National Inception Meeting to officially initiate in-country activities is carded to be held in November, 2021.

“Global Agreements for a Healthy Planet: Sound Management of Chemicals and Waste” 2021 Conferences of the Parties to the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions

 The environmentally sound management of hazardous materials to ensure protection of human health and the environment is the common objective of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) Conventions. From July 26 to 30, 2021 over 1,000 delegates convened in the first ever online instalment of the Conference of the Parties to the BRS Conventions, as a result of the exceptional circumstances posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ms. Keima Gardiner, Waste Management Specialist, Ministry of Planning and Development and Head of Delegation, along with Ms. Jiselle Joseph of the Environmental Management Authority and Mr. Hasmath Ali, Ministry of Health represented Trinidad and Tobago in the discussions of the prioritised agenda items in the virtual sessions. These were on: the interim programmes of work and budgets to ensure the continued operations of the Secretariat and the implementation of the Conventions; the financial mechanism and resources under the Stockholm Convention; and the election of officers to the Stockholm Convention Effectiveness Evaluation Committee and the Rotterdam Convention Compliance Committee. In so doing, it provided the country with the opportunity to contribute to proposals, actively influence final decisions adopted, and take note of the substantive and emerging matters to be addressed under the Conventions at the face to face segment, tentatively scheduled for June 2022. Upon suspension of the meeting all of the agenda items were adopted.

Launch of the BES-Net TT Project, December 15, 2021

On Wednesday 15 December 2021, the Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network Trinidad and Tobago project or BES-Net TT project, was virtually launched. The two-year project is administered by the Ministry of Planning and Development (MPD) with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and is financed by the BES Solutions Fund of the Global Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services Network. A Project Management Unit (PMU) has been created within the Environmental Policy and Planning Division (EPPD), MPD to facilitate implementation of the Project.

In keeping with the country’s commitments under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity, this project will focus attention on a special group of organisms that play an important role in plant productivity: our pollinators. The ecosystem service performed by these animals – bees, beetles, butterflies, birds and bats among others – cannot be overstated as they perform a critical role, with pollination being a first step in plant reproduction, leading to fruit and seed formation.

Yoko Kurauchi, Policy Specialist and Coordinator of BES-Net Global underscored this fact, by stating at the launch the urgency and importance of the project for pollinator conservation and food security. This sentiment was echoed by other speakers at the launch event, among them Ms. Rosemary Lall, Programme Officer at the UNDP and Mr. Kishan Kumarsingh, Head of the Multilateral Environmental Agreements Unit, MPD.

The launch was attended by over one hundred (100) persons including Government agency representatives, members of local environmental groups and members of the Trinidad and Tobago Beekeepers Association. Dr. Lena Dempewolf, Biodiversity Specialist in the EPPD provided an overview of the project, outlining its focus on three key areas of research, policy and knowledge management and dissemination. Dr. Dempewolf also provided information on the composition of the Project’s multi-stakeholder Steering Committee.

Immediately following the launch, a virtual workshop for stakeholders was facilitated by Ms. Pippa Heylings, Global Facilitator UNDP-BES-Net, which gathered views and feedback on the project’s activities and yielded information on other relevant and related initiatives that are underway by others. Dr. Floyd Homer, Bureau member for the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) Region on the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) spoke on the regional context and Mr. Shane Ballah, BESNet-TT Project Manager, provided additional details on the project activities Over the next few months, several on-the-ground activities will be initiated including a bee survey, establishment of pollinator gardens at three locations and the completion of a public survey on pollination and pollinators. The PMU looks forward to the public’s sustained interest and engagement in the project. More information on the BES-Net TT project can be found at this link.

Screenshot of some participants at the virtual launch of the BES-Net Project