Jump Starting Plastic Recycling in Aruba

#SDGAction41619

Description

Plastic Beach Party is an experimental plastic recycling collective. Recycling single use plastic waste into reusable plastic products that decrease waste. With self built open source machines (precious plastic) the collective diverts plastic from going into the coastal dump. In 2017 it aims to recycle at least 1 tonne of plastic, reaching 50 tonnes by 2020.

The collective also organize citizen science programs to inform people of the impact of waste and take action towards zero waste economies. Foremost measuring air quality and ocean acidification to quantify progress and inform citizens.

Expected Impact

Plastic waste is collected from local hotels, and then recycled into re-usable products at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design. The products are designed locally by students, artists and others to be presented on the local market, initially cosecha artesanal market. The facility is designed to be circular, so designed products should be returned to the recycling facility if they are no longer to useful or broken. The plastic recycling facility aims to fix, products or re-recycle products as much as possible to decrease the use of virgin plastic and thus continued pollution of the ocean. Additionally the program consults with Bucuti to offer ideas on how to decrease plastic waste produce by the hotel. 
 
These plastics would other wise be disposed at the local dump which is a poorly managed coastal landfill without a border between the landfill and the ocean, the landfill is surrounded by reef and mangroves and leaches into the ocean constantly. 
 
The monitoring program will be built through an open and collective citizen science program that encourages people to take part and allows technical know how to be shared. This program will also support the uploading of the live data so it can be available for citizens, used to monitor progress towards sustainable development and accessible to researchers both local and abroad to study. The air quality will also be used to create a warning system for high air pollution levels.

Capacity

The centre of excellence for small islands in development will publish a report on the initiative to built a local bottom up recycling facility, this report will be shared with other SIDS. The program is built using the designs of precious plastics, and is part of the precious plastics community where we share what we make with other communities around the world building these same machines. 
 
Machine building is done collectively in an open format that allows people to learn together by doing, the same is through for the environmental monitoring programs and set up and programming of the bio-lab. Additionally the program is built using open-source designs and connecting to the knowledge network of the open source community and feeding back into it.

Governed

The plastic beach party is run as a foundation through a partnership with the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, Bucuti Resort, Metabolic Foundation and others. 
 
The Academy hosts the recycling facility as well as the maker space, additionally it harbors a design ethos that inspires design with recycling materials and integrates circular design into its educational program. 
 
Metabolic runs the recycling program and built the machines through a collaborative and open process. Metabolic Foundation operates out of an open maker space which uses digital fabrication, to make and prototype these interventions. The space encourages the use and adaptation of open source design, in the making of interventions to keep the designs iterative, and collaborative through a global network of makers and innovators. The program also encourages the use of e-waste in the building of machines, making use of what is accessible since as a small island many parts are not readily accessible. 
 
Bucuti and in the future other hotels will offers the plastic waste and pays for the service which offsets the energy and labor cost of recycling. Working with hotels, decreases the negative impact of tourism on the islands and offsets some of the costs of recycling allowing the recycled products to be offered at a lower price. And also the initiative and experimentation with new product design to take place with less market risk. 
 
The recycling is done and organized as a collective, with volunteers developing the program and designing together and designing products together to be tested on the local market. The collective also organizes awareness programs with various NGO and school partners.

Partners

Metabolic Foundation, Centre of Excellence of Sustainable development in Small Islands in Development, Bucuti Resort Aruba, Academy of Fine Arts and Design of Aruba, Bank Giro Lotterij Fonds, Precious Plastics, Stichting DOEN Aruba

SDGS & Targets

Goal 9

Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation

9.1

Develop quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including regional and transborder infrastructure, to support economic development and human well-being, with a focus on affordable and equitable access for all

9.1.1

Proportion of the rural population who live within 2 km of an all-season road

9.1.2

Passenger and freight volumes, by mode of transport

9.2

Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and, by 2030, significantly raise industry’s share of employment and gross domestic product, in line with national circumstances, and double its share in least developed countries

9.2.1

Manufacturing value added as a proportion of GDP and per capita

9.2.2

Manufacturing employment as a proportion of total employment

9.3

Increase the access of small-scale industrial and other enterprises, in particular in developing countries, to financial services, including affordable credit, and their integration into value chains and markets

9.3.1

Proportion of small-scale industries in total industry value added

9.3.2

Proportion of small-scale industries with a loan or line of credit

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities

9.4.1

CO₂emission per unit of value added

9.5

Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending

9.5.1

Research and development expenditure as a proportion of GDP

9.5.2

Researchers (in full-time equivalent) per million inhabitants

9.a

Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States

9.a.1

Total official international support (official development assistance plus other official flows) to infrastructure

9.b

Support domestic technology development, research and innovation in developing countries, including by ensuring a conducive policy environment for, inter alia, industrial diversification and value addition to commodities

9.b.1

Proportion of medium and high-tech industry value added in total value added

9.c

Significantly increase access to information and communications technology and strive to provide universal and affordable access to the Internet in least developed countries by 2020

9.c.1

Proportion of population covered by a mobile network, by technology

Goal 17

Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development

17.1

Strengthen domestic resource mobilization, including through international support to developing countries, to improve domestic capacity for tax and other revenue collection

17.1.1

Total government revenue as a proportion of GDP, by source

17.1.2

Proportion of domestic budget funded by domestic taxes

17.2

Developed countries to implement fully their official development assistance commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/GNI to developing countries and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries; ODA providers are encouraged to consider setting a target to provide at least 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries

17.2.1

Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors’ gross national income (GNI)

17.3

Mobilize additional financial resources for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.1

Additional financial resources mobilized for developing countries from multiple sources

17.3.2

Volume of remittances (in United States dollars) as a proportion of total GDP

17.4

Assist developing countries in attaining long-term debt sustainability through coordinated policies aimed at fostering debt financing, debt relief and debt restructuring, as appropriate, and address the external debt of highly indebted poor countries to reduce debt distress

17.4.1

Debt service as a proportion of exports of goods and services

17.5

Adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for least developed countries

17.5.1

Number of countries that adopt and implement investment promotion regimes for developing countries, including the least developed countries

17.6

Enhance North-South, South-South and triangular regional and international cooperation on and access to science, technology and innovation and enhance knowledge sharing on mutually agreed terms, including through improved coordination among existing mechanisms, in particular at the United Nations level, and through a global technology facilitation mechanism

17.6.1

Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed

17.7

Promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies to developing countries on favourable terms, including on concessional and preferential terms, as mutually agreed

17.7.1

Total amount of funding for developing countries to promote the development, transfer, dissemination and diffusion of environmentally sound technologies

17.8

Fully operationalize the technology bank and science, technology and innovation capacity-building mechanism for least developed countries by 2017 and enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology

17.8.1

Proportion of individuals using the Internet

17.9

Enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation

17.9.1

Dollar value of financial and technical assistance (including through North-South, South‑South and triangular cooperation) committed to developing countries

17.10

Promote a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the World Trade Organization, including through the conclusion of negotiations under its Doha Development Agenda

17.10.1

Worldwide weighted tariff-average

17.11

Significantly increase the exports of developing countries, in particular with a view to doubling the least developed countries’ share of global exports by 2020

17.11.1

Developing countries’ and least developed countries’ share of global exports

17.12

Realize timely implementation of duty-free and quota-free market access on a lasting basis for all least developed countries, consistent with World Trade Organization decisions, including by ensuring that preferential rules of origin applicable to imports from least developed countries are transparent and simple, and contribute to facilitating market access

17.12.1

Weighted average tariffs faced by developing countries, least developed countries and small island developing States

17.13

Enhance global macroeconomic stability, including through policy coordination and policy coherence

17.13.1

Macroeconomic Dashboard

17.14

Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development

17.14.1

Number of countries with mechanisms in place to enhance policy coherence of sustainable development

17.15

Respect each country’s policy space and leadership to establish and implement policies for poverty eradication and sustainable development

17.15.1

Extent of use of country-owned results frameworks and planning tools by providers of development cooperation

17.16

Enhance the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in all countries, in particular developing countries

17.16.1

Number of countries reporting progress in multi-stakeholder development effectiveness monitoring frameworks that support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals

17.17

Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships, building on the experience and resourcing strategies of partnerships

17.17.1

Amount in United States dollars committed to public-private partnerships for infrastructure

17.18

By 2020, enhance capacity-building support to developing countries, including for least developed countries and small island developing States, to increase significantly the availability of high-quality, timely and reliable data disaggregated by income, gender, age, race, ethnicity, migratory status, disability, geographic location and other characteristics relevant in national contexts

17.18.1

Statistical capacity indicators

17.18.2

Number of countries that have national statistical legislation that complies with the Fundamental Principles of Official Statistics

17.18.3

Number of countries with a national statistical plan that is fully funded and under implementation, by source of funding

17.19

By 2030, build on existing initiatives to develop measurements of progress on sustainable development that complement gross domestic product, and support statistical capacity-building in developing countries

17.19.1

Dollar value of all resources made available to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries

17.19.2

Proportion of countries that (a) have conducted at least one population and housing census in the last 10 years; and (b) have achieved 100 per cent birth registration and 80 per cent death registration

Goal 14

Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

14.1

By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

14.1.1

(a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

14.2

By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

14.2.1

Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

14.3

Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

14.3.1

Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

14.4

By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

14.4.1

Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

14.5

By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

14.5.1

Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

14.6

By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

14.6.1

Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

14.7

By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

14.7.1

Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

14.a

Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

14.a.1

Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

14.b

Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

14.b.1

Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

14.c

Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

14.c.1

Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

Name	Description
14.1	By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution
14.3	Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels
14.a	Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries