Barbados is going green—or at least, that is the image the country is projecting. With the rising number of electric buses, solar-powered systems, and hybrid vehicles rolling onto our roads, it would be easy to assume that the island is charging toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Behind the scenes, an inconvenient truth lingers. We are generating more electronic and chemical waste than ever before, with no comprehensive national policy or infrastructure to manage it. A caller to one of the island’s popular radio call-in programmes on Friday highlighted the troubling reality. As a small island, we cannot afford to keep sweeping this issue under the rug as the effects of it will come to light sooner rather than later.
From electric cars, cordless tools to laptops, lithium-ion batteries have become a part of everyday life. These batteries are not only difficult to dispose of safely, but they also pose serious risks to human health, our water supply, and ecosystems that make Barbados an attractive place for locals and tourists.
The Barbados Fire Service has already warned that lithium batteries, if punctured or improperly stored, can explode or catch fire. They have been linked to some fires on the island. Lithium batteries can also leak toxic chemicals that seep into the soil and groundwater. Imagine a leaking battery discarded in an overfilled garbage skip in Bridgetown or tossed carelessly into a landfill. The chemicals can make their way into our water table, threaten marine life, and impact the very food we eat.
Even more alarming is that these risks are not just hypothetical. Across the world, improperly discarded batteries have caused fires in waste facilities and contamination of drinking water sources. Barbados, with its limited land space and precious ground water supply, is even more at risk.
And it is not just lithium. Nickel-cadmium, lead-acid, and even standard alkaline batteries all carry environmental hazards when not disposed of correctly. Added to this are the chemicals and plastics from electronics, solar panels, and appliances that have been imported over the years and are entering in greater volumes. Yet, there is no clear national guidance or legislation to say what should be done with them when they stop working.
At present, no formal governmental position on the safe disposal, recycling, or export of batteries and e-waste has been articulated to the public or proposed legislation on such a critical matter. There are no designated public collection sites. No structured education programmes in schools.
While there is legislation surrounding the importation of plastic bags and the demand that companies importing and selling certain plastic bottles must take back what they sell, one of the major recycling companies has repeatedly complained of breaches by several importers who refuse to pay refunds for returned bottles.
In a country that champions sustainability and climate resilience on the global stage, how can we justify a complete absence of action on such a basic, yet critical, issue?
We already face problems with general waste. Illegal dumping is rampant. Recycling efforts are sporadic and often left to a few private companies or well-meaning NGOs. Meanwhile, household garbage is still largely dumped in the landfill with minimal sorting. Adding battery and chemical waste into the mix is a recipe for disaster, one we are quickly approaching.
The government must move swiftly to introduce a comprehensive national policy on battery disposal and electronic waste management. This should include Legislation mandating safe disposal practices for all battery types, including lithium-ion, lead-acid, and others. There is also a need for regulations requiring manufacturers and importers to be responsible for handling their products when the life of the product ends, as occurs in some countries.
Public drop-off points across the island where individuals and businesses can safely deposit used batteries and electronics is a necessary step, along with sustained public awareness campaigns that educate Barbadians on the risks and proper disposal methods.
If we can find funding for what some may describe as vanity projects, we can certainly invest in safeguarding our environment and our health.
We cannot continue to bury our waste in vast landfills or ignore environmental damage and hope it will not reach us. The fact is it already has.
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