Single use plastic is polluting our landfill, lungs, and ocean. Ideally, we will move away from plastics as reusable and compostable alternatives become more widely available. However, we must recycle the plastic that we already use. Plastic recycling is becoming more widely available, but one of the greatest challenges is the lack of information about what is actually recyclable at local facilities. Less than 10% of plastic is recycled in the USA. If St Maarten wants to do better, we are all going to have to learn a bit about plastic and what can be recycled locally.
Plastic is divided into 7 categories: PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP, PS, and ‘Other’.
#1 PET or PETE (Polyethylene terephthalate)
PET is found in many products including water bottles, strawberry clam-shells, and some egg boxes. For food items, it should only be used once and should never be heated – it is known for leaching into liquids and supporting bacterial growth. When stored correctly (cool, dry, out of direct sunlight), it is considered reasonably safe. Being the most common type of plastic around, it is also widely recycled. It can be used in 3D printing, so is a good candidate for local processing, contributing to a circular economy.
Bottles are the easiest to recycle and most widely accepted, but many recycling facilities also accept clean and dry food packaging and clam-shells. Remember that lids are often made of a different plastic which may also be recyclable. PET plastic is often (but not always) clear.
#2 HDPE (High-density polyethylene)
HDPE is strong and durable, and often considered one of the safest plastics. It is found in milk jugs, juice bottles, cleaning products, detergent bottles, and many toiletry bottles. Recycled HDPE is often used in plastic decking, garbage bins, and other products which are required to last, even in direct sunlight and freezing conditions. It can be recycled again and again. HDPE is often opaque.
#3 V or PVC (Polyvinyl chloride) and #4 LDPE (Low-density polyethylene)
PVC is flexible and reasonably durable when used outdoors. However, most PVC is made from virgin material. It is seldom recycled and it is considered to be a higher risk of leaching.
While PVC us used in both water pipes and some cling film, it is often listed as a plastic to avoid around children and food.
LDPE is used in six pack rings, food grade plastic bags, flexible tubes, some cling film, and bread bags. Unlike PVC, LDPE is considered reasonably safe for food use and reuse. However, it is not widely recycled because it requires special processing. (Because it is thin and flexible, it can clog recycling processing machines designed for bottles.)
Collection points are usually found in supermarkets in countries where LDPE recycling facilities do exist.
To our knowledge, PVC and LDPE are not recycled in SXM.
#5 PP (Polypropylene)
If you find something washed up on our beautiful beaches, chances are it is polypropylene. This floating plastic is durable, strong, has a low risk of leaching, and it degrades very slowly in sunlight.
Fishing nets are made of polypropylene and can be found everywhere along our coast. 46% of the plastic found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is made up of discarded fishing nets from large scale commercial fishing.
Polypropylene is also used in toys, some toothbrushes, and microwave food containers. Recycling facilities are steadily increasing, but most of it still ends up in the trash.
#6 PS (Polystyrene)
When polystyrene was invented, it was praised for being lightweight and a good insulator. Despite its ubiquitous use in food service, it is often considered unsafe for food use. When heated, it leaches styrene, a known carcinogen.
Polystyrene is cost prohibitive to recycle. As a result, this lightweight and highly flammable material is found polluting landfills worldwide.
If you commit to removing just one plastic from your life, this should be it. There are better alternatives available to food service establishments. Speak up, let your favorite take out restaurant know about the alternatives, or better yet, take your own clean to-go container.
#7 (Other)
#7 is the catch all for plastics not defined in the other 6 codes. Its safety and green credentials vary considerably.
PLA, plant based Polylactic Acid, is included in #7. PLA can be made home compostable (Look for the Vinçotte OK HOME Compost Label, now called TUV Austria), but the most common products require industrial compost facilities. There is also a large amount of green-washing, and many PLA products are not recyclable OR compostable.
Plastic Recycling Tips
Some areas require pre-sorting, while others have just one bin for all recyclables. Some waste management programs, like this one in America, request that all recyclables are clean, dry, and free from contamination. However, in mainland France, people are asked to save water instead by emptying containers rather than washing.
With our high temperatures and lack of local industrial processing, we certainly suggest recycling clean and dry items only. Achieving this will differ depending on what the container was used for. Food products may need a wash or rinse, while a shampoo bottle may just need to be empty.
As for bottle caps – some areas do still request lids and bottle caps get removed, but many (including mainland France and some American recycling programs) request that they are left on the bottles.
Black plastic is not usually recycled, no matter what type of plastic it is made of. This is because it can’t be sorted by optical plastic sorting equipment. Contact your local recycling center to see how black plastic is handled!
Beyond Recycling
Recycling is not the final solution to our plastic problem. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle needs to be expanded to include REFUSE, ROT, and REPURPOSE.
Challenge yourself – do a waste audit and see where your weaknesses are. Simple switches, like a reusable water bottle, can make a big difference! What changes can you make today to reduce YOUR plastic?
SXM Resources:
Recycling is widely available in French St Maarten – Look for the tall blue color coded sorting bins. Some neighborhoods also have an area designated for compostable waste.
On Dutch St Maarten Recycling is available at the Meadowlands BV yard (Opposite Carrefour Bush Road) and at the Catholic Schools in conjunction with GreenBox.
Locations, with maps, can be found here: Recycling Locations
Wastefactory collects and processes #2 HDPE plastic (as well as many other recyclable materials) on island! Wastefactory is located on the eastern end of Frontstreet, next to the Art Craft Cafe gallery and art school. If you have something you would like to recycle, contact them! The creative minds behind the project often come up with great ideas!
Waste2Work (Cole Bay) upcycles many different things. Visit them in the Divico car park, or contact them on social media!
Sources:
Value of recycled plastics: http://www.plasticsnews.com/resin/recycled-plastics/current-pricing
French (mainland) Recycling Guidelines: https://www.consignesdetri.fr/baba/
Saint Martin Recycling Guidelines: https://www.verdesxm.com/decheterie-saintmartin-ecosite-bornes.html
Recycling Contamination: http://mediaroom.wm.com/the-battle-against-recycling-contamination-is-everyones-battle/
