The Environmental Health Department recently revealed plans to institute a deposit scheme on recyclable glass, aluminum cans and bottles that aims to keep trash off the streets and out of the environment.
The government estimates a staggering 20 million beverage containers per year are imported into the country, landing at the dump site or thrown alongside the roadsides, beaches, parks and neighborhoods.
Coming soon, consumers will have to pay an additional surcharge on these items upon purchase at retailers across the country. A levy of 8 cents is expected on beverage container up to 16 ounces and 13 cents per container in excess of 16 ounces.
The money will be partially refunded, 5 cents and 10 cents respectively, when the items are returned to Redemption Centers located throughout the islands. The remainder will be used to operate the redemption centers and administer the scheme.
Refunds are expected to be made via cash or by electronically printed vouchers that can be redeemed at the adjacent supermarket.
The Redemption Centers will collect, compact and transport the collected materials to a recycler in the islands for further processing.
While details have not yet not officially been released, the Environmental Health Department sent out a request for tender recently looking for parties interested in operating the centers.
According to the tender, the Environmental Health Department has so far identified and secured two locations for Redemption Centers on Providenciales, including in the IGA Graceway supermarket car park on Leeward Highway, and in the Butterfield Square Car Park in downtown Providenciales.
Other centers are expected to be put into operation on North Caicos (covering Middle Caicos, Parrot and Pine Cay) and Grand Turk (covering Salt Cay and South Caicos).
The Redemption Centers will be operated seven days a week for approximately 25 hours. The center operator will accept the bottles for return and place them into one of three compartments to hold metal, glass and plastic, which use a battery powered compactor to achieve a 12-1 compaction of aluminum, plastic and glass beverage containers.
