On a mission
to create circular
island economies
The Problem
The Caribbean faces huge consequences from climate change, it has a major recycling problem, and concrete plans to shift to a circular economy are in their infancy.
Island material sorting and recycling facilities across the Caribbean are typically under-capitalised or non-existent. Most material goes to landfill, recycling rates are less than 4% on some islands and the material is ending up in landfill, rivers, and oceans. This impacts the resilience and sustainability of the islands, as well as long-term tourism industries upon which they all depend.
What we do
We are transforming waste management and recycling in the Caribbean, working across sectors and islands to create a circular approach that drives to net zero and zero waste. This creates triple bottom line benefits of social inclusion, environmental sustainability, and economic prosperity.
We are doing this in four ways:
Material recovery and recycling
We work with local partners on each island, install the right infrastructure, equipment and know-how to sort, compact and ship mixed recyclable material to reputable sources for recycling and re-use. We leverage our network and experience working with international and regional buyers, and providing services to shipping companies, marinas, hotels, supermarkets and businesses.
Educating and Engaging
We work with our local partners, NGOs, community activists, social groups and businesses to educate on reduce, re-use, recycle practices using social media, business and community activities. We engage with businesses to secure sponsorship and support community material collection, points and rewards.
We believe that private sector can lead the change, but not alone. We will strive to facilitate and support island governments and regional bodies to change policies, and sectors to collaborate for fundamental change, based on data, facts and experience. We will support economies in the Caribbean to work within their planetary boundaries, collaborating across islands, sectors and businesses, and participate in the design of products and services – ultimately reducing or removing the need for recycling over time.
Technology and data
Push the Circular Economy
We’re adapting a cloud-based solution and app for tracking material from sorting through to re-use. This creates transparency and operating efficiencies and is an exciting way to lay the foundations for ‘smart islands’ and digital transformation.
How we operate
We’re in it for the long term, with long term commercial contracts and shared risk. We’re ambitious for our planet and islands, and inclusive:
Environmental:
We work with hotels, supermarkets and businesses to sort, ship and support genuine green credentials and create a clear step towards circular tourism.
Social:
We work with our partners, NGOs, social groups and government departments who are able to engage, educate and mobilise communities to change behaviours, create local employment and offer meaningful incentives for waste collection so that everyone is engaged and can benefit from our operations.
Economic:
We work to understand the challenges on islands, and solve them collectively so that solutions are profitable and economically sustainable.
How we think
At a practical level we’re obsessive about material quality and quantity, bale sizes and weights, optimising container loads and efficient shipping, and diverting waste from landfills and the ocean. But recycling isn’t enough. A real shift to circular thinking and activities can only be achieved through key policy changes and cross-sector collaboration. If the region is to meet its climate commitments including the Paris Agreement and COP26 Declaration it needs a plan, and now. We also work with industry partners to establish plans to shift sectors and islands towards the circular economy, and be part of the solution.
Who we are
CARE Caribbean was formed in 2021 when Windward Commodities met All Caribbean A&C Ltd with a shared vision to change the recycling landscape of the Caribbean.
Key People
Steve Hammond
Steve has over 20 years in the Shipping and Tourism Industry, having operated logistics for shipping recyclables throughout the Caribbean and being one of Tropical Shipping’s biggest exporters within the Caribbean. Steve has successfully built relationships within the shipping industry locally and internationally. Steve is a native Australian who has lived in the Caribbean for 25 years and is co-founder of All Caribbean A & C N.V., who are the largest traders of recycling materials in the Eastern Caribbean, and advise Maritime, Tourism, Recycling, and Green Energy Industries, based in St. Maarten. He currently serves as Senior Consultant and Advisor and has worked alongside IGY Marinas on multiple projects. Steve is an innovator, developing successful recycling programs along with working on recycling projects with RCCL and Norwegian Cruise Lines operating across the Caribbean. Steve’s experience has taught him that the main problems in undertaking recycling in small island states are storage space for the material collected; and maximizing stow in the export containers to allow economically viable transportation to market.
Salina Toll
Salina cares passionately about changing markets for good. Her background is in international procurement, supply chain and programme managament across automative, textile and telecoms industries. For the last twelve years Salina has worked to create fair and sustainable commodity supply chains across the world, including the Caribbean – a beautiful and vulnerable region. She has worked with governments, multi-nationals, SMEs and individuals to think differently and deliver programmes, supply chains and brands that change the status quo. Salina believes that the private sector can and must play a big role in social and economic change. Given the urgency of climate change, and the need to drive to net zero, she is now focusing on circular solutions for Small Island States. She is working with experienced and determined partners in the Caribbean region to create successful and replicable models which will also inform and support change in other regions. Salina has a MA from Oxford University and is always motivated by the satisfaction of doing things differently, and getting things done.
Windward Commodities
Windward is headquartered in Barbados and the UK and builds inclusive supply chains with social and environmental impacts across Small Island Developing States, including the Caribbean and Pacific Islands, and Southern Africa. The company was established to apply innovative marketing and supply chain principles used by global multinationals to add value to traditional commodity sectors including agriculture, energy, mining and waste. This model was developed with co-investment from the Shell Foundation and the Common Fund for Commodities and focuses on scalable partnerships, cross-sectoral collaboration and the development of new products, brands and supply chains that adds value to producers. Windward’s activities are split into an Investment portfolio and it participates in supply chains through equity or IP ownership and an Advisory business where we act for large commodity companies such as Rio Tinto, donors or impact funds.
All Caribbean A&C N.V.
All Caribbean Advisors & Consultants provides services to recyclers throughout the Caribbean region by delivering a market for their recycled material and the transportation to get that material to market. The Company grew out of a recycling venture in Sint Maarten started by Steve Hammond. Steve’s experience taught him that the main problems in undertaking recycling in small island states are storage space for the material collected, and maximizing stow in the export containers in order to allow economically viable transportation to market. Both problems can have debilitating impact on small recyclers’ cash flow. All Caribbean ensures all materials including paper, cardboard, glass, beverage & metal cans, plastics, batteries, e-waste, newspapers and magazines get recycled. This is diverting significant volumes of material from already over-filled island landfill sites in the Caribbean, and re-investing funds back into islands to grow operations. All Caribbean has made a name for itself as a well-respected player in the Industry dealing with a wide range of players including large companies like Royal Caribbean Cruise lines, Norwegian Cruise lines and Tropical Shipping, as well as advising a wide range of organisations from governments on policies through to young entrepreneurs wishing to enter the sector.
Where we work
Dominica - Grenada - Barbados (base)
St Maarten - St Lucia - St Kitts and Nevis
Antigua - BVI - St Barts - Trinidad
