Reflecting on recycling practices in the Caribbean, Sabine Berendse, ceo of Green Phenix, says: ‘I see positive developments but there is still a lot of litter, and landfilling is the main waste management strategy. Generally, sustainability related topics remain complicated for island states.’
She hopes to bring about change with her company which was founded in 2018 to support sea turtle conservation efforts on Curacao by reducing plastic pollution in the marine environment.
Following several successful beach clean-up projects, Berendse suddenly had a lot of material on her hands. She was convinced it could be put to good use, envisioning a circular system for post-consumer plastics.
‘Our operations started in my back yard with two extruders, two 3D printers and a powder grinder, Berendse recalls. ‘Twelve people joined us as part of an educational…