Waste Management
U.S. islands need government policies that support long-term, sustainable solutions to address the management of solid waste on islands.
Solid waste management is a pressing issue in island communities. Long-term, innovative, and sustainable waste management solutions need to be driven by island communities with support from government policies that are locally and culturally relevant and work in practice for island communities. Island ecosystems are fragile and without sustainable waste management solutions that take into account each island’s unique environmental and human needs, island ecosystems will suffer.
The following federal policy recommendations will help U.S. islands achieve climate resilience:
Bring locally and culturally relevant program support to islands and provide technical assistance, capacity support, and funding to establish effective waste management systems including trash, recycling, and large-scale composting programs.
Support and fund the development of island solid waste models that strive for a circular economy approach that prioritizes and incentivizes reuse practices and reduces new production of solid waste.
Provide innovative solutions for waste management that do not compromise air quality or lead to excess pollution, like incinerators.
Disincentivize false solutions such as bioplastics that are marketed as compostable but are only compostable under very particular circumstances such that these plastics end up in the landfill.
Pass domestic plastic use policies focused on reducing plastic pollution in line with the global plastic agreement signed at UNEA in Nairobi in 2022.
Collaborate with ecotourism operators and, especially, global hospitality brands, to lead on waste reduction