National Planning Committee
About Us

ABOUT US

Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD) has since 2002 been the Trinidad and Tobago National Coordinator of the International Coastal Clean-Up.
The National Planning Committee (NPC) was formed to facilitate the active involvement of various stakeholders, both government and non-governmental in the National Cleanup exercise, towards building public awareness and promoting behavioural change with respect to indiscriminate solid waste disposal and its negative impact on the marine environment.

The International Coastal Clean-up (ICC) is a lot more than a beach clean-up exercise – it is a data collection activity where each item that is collected is documented on data cards and sent to the Ocean Conservancy in the U.S. in order to give a global snapshot of the problem of marine debris.

Member organizations of the National Planning Committee:

  1. Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD) – National Coordinator
  2. Atlantic LNG
  3. Carib Glassworks Ltd.
  4. Environmental Management Authority (EMA)
  5. Forestry Division
  6. Girl Guides Association of Trinidad and Tobago
  7. Hand Arnold (Trinidad) Limited
  8. Institute of Marine Affairs (IMA)
  9. Ministry of Planning, Housing and the Environment (MPH&E)
  10. Piranha International
  11. Protectors of the Environment (POE)
  12. Solid Waste Management Company Ltd. (SWMCOL)
  13. Tobago House of Assembly (THA)
  14. Tourism Development Company (TDC)
  15. West Indian Tobacco Company Limited (WITCO)
  16. Yacht Services Association of Trinidad and Tobago (YSATT)

Beaches Cleaned in 2008:

Trinidad:                                 Tobago:

* Balandra Bay                       * Belle Garden Beach
* Caura River                          * Minister’s Bay, Bacolet
* Chagville Beach                   * Plymouth Beach
* Las Cuevas Beach                * Roxborough Beach
* Mayaro                               *   Speyside
* Quinam Beach                    
* Salybia Beach
* Tyrico Beach

There are six (6) categories of waste that are collected at our nation’s beaches:

 

  1. Shoreline & Recreational Activities

The majority of marine debris comes from land based activities such as food consumption, beach-goers, picnics, sports, recreation and festivals as well as garbage washed from streets, and rivers

  1. Ocean/Waterway Activities

            Recreational fishing and boating, commercial fishing, cargo/military/ cruise ship operations and offshore industries such as oil drilling can product marine debris.

  1. Smoking Related Activities

            Improper disposal of cigarette filters, cigar tips and tobacco product packaging is common on both land and sea.

  1. Dumping Activities

            Legal and illegal dumping of building materials, car parts and large household appliances.

  1. Medical/Personal Hygiene

            This type of debris can result from people improperly disposing of waste in toilets and city streets.  Since medical and personal hygiene debris often enters the waste stream through sewer systems, its appearance on the beach can indicate that there is the presence of other unseen pollutants.

  1. Debris Items of Local Concern

            These are other items that don’t fit in to any of the other categories and usually don’t belong on a beach.

 

Recycling has begun!! All plastics and glass collected are now being diverted from the landfills to recycling facilities

Contact us: CNIRD 645-6458 for further details