BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Barbados government says it welcomes the national conversation regarding the disposal of batteries and waste from electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE).
In a lengthy statement, the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification (MENB), Blue and Green Economy, through the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) and the Ministry of Energy and Business (MEB), the government said it would like to enhance the dialogue by providing information on the existing legislative framework, institutional responsibilities and ongoing work regarding battery disposal and WEEE, particularly from the renewable energy sector.
“We also wish to reaffirm our commitment to ensuring the safe and sustainable management of hazardous waste in Barbados, which has been generated as a result of our energy transition.”
The government stated that, contrary to the assertion that there is no formal governmental position on the matter, Barbados has in place several legislative instruments and policies that target the safe management of hazardous materials throughout their life cycle.
It stated that the specific instruments include the Planning and Development Act 2019, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Act 2020, the Planning and Development (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations, 2021, the Electricity Supply Act, 2024-26, and the Policy for the Management of Hazardous Chemicals and Toxic Wastes, 2006.
It stated that the first two pieces of legislation are the primary laws that address the development and use of land resources for development activities.
“Contrary to the assertion that there is no formal governmental position on the matter, Barbados has in place several legislative instruments and policies that target the safe management of hazardous materials over their life cycle,” it said, noting that among the legislation is the Policy for the Management of Hazardous Chemicals and Toxic Wastes, 2006.
The government stated that utility-level renewable energy systems require planning permission for those exceeding one megawatt (MW).
“These systems require an environmental impact assessment, which would generally attach conditions to address decommissioning of the system, including the management of WEEE and the decommissioned battery system.”
The government said the Electricity Supply Act, 2024-26 aims to “regulate the generation, storage, transmission, distribution, dispatch, supply and sale of electricity and promote local participation, competition and the adoption of energy practices and technologies in the electricity sector that are sustainable to enhance energy security, climate resiliency and ensure the reliability and affordability of services in the sector”.
It said more specifically, the legislation speaks to the decommissioning of renewable energy systems and the establishment of a Decommissioning Fund to cover the cost associated with decommissioning and that these provisions state that systems exceeding 500kW cannot be decommissioned without making a reasonable effort to mitigate the impact of the decommissioning on the environment and that licensee must contribute to a fund to cover decommissioning costs.
The Minister must approve the decommissioning plan, which is to be updated every three years to reflect any changes in good industry practice.
“These decommissioning plans are expected to provide clear information on the management of potential WEEE by the waste management hierarchy to prevent, reuse, recycle, recover, and dispose of waste materials.”
The government stated that the current Policy for the Management of Hazardous Chemicals and Toxic Wastes aims to establish systems for managing hazardous materials and wastes throughout the materials’ life cycle, encompassing import and export controls, handling and transportation, business operations, and final disposal.
“It is noted that this policy is not supported as yet by comprehensive chemicals management legislation, but the Government is working to address this recognised gap,” the statement said, adding “more broadly, within the governance framework of Barbados, the EPD is the lead agency responsible for regulating hazardous materials and waste in Barbados”.
The government stated that the EPD is also responsible for implementing multilateral environmental agreements, such as the Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal, which is relevant to the management of hazardous materials in Barbados.
“Certain WEEE, including batteries, may be classified as hazardous materials under the provisions of this international instrument. Hazardous materials that fall under the necessary annex identified in the Basel Convention are recommended by the EPD for export and environmentally sound disposal through the prior informed consent procedure described in the Convention.”
The statement said, recognising the legislative and technical constraints within the governance system and the potential threat from the growing volume of electrical and electronic systems that would eventually be discarded as waste, the government, through the Environmental Protection Department, requested assistance from the Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean (BCRC).
It stated that as a result, the EPD is working in partnership with the BCRC and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to identify appropriate policies, laws, and strategies to manage these wastes through a consultancy.
The objective of this consultancy is to develop a policy framework for the environmentally sound management of WEEE associated with renewable energy, including Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and solar panels, in Barbados.
Additionally, the Blue Tech for Waste Challenge, managed by the IDB, aims to identify and support innovative companies addressing hazardous waste management in the Caribbean.
“Companies with existing initiatives that fall within the identified focal areas are invited to contact the Environmental Protection Department to explore this potential opportunity for affordable financing,” the government added.
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