Saba undertakes innovative recycling project
Press Release – Saba Electric Company N.V. (SEC), the sole supplier of electricity on the Public Entity Saba in the Dutch Caribbean, partnered with Cadwell, Inc. to implement an innovative, high-level recycling program that is proving to be a win-win for both Saba and its utility company.
The island, measuring five square miles, was hit by two major storms in recent years, including Maria and Irma. Both caused extensive damage to the island and some of the electric infrastructure. Although the SEC was able to get back up and running after the storms in less than 24 hours, there was still a massive amount of debris that had to be stored in warehouses and utility yards. Running out of space and no room in the landfill, SEC President-Director Dexter Johnson was running out of options to dispose of old cable, streetlights, poles, transformers, used oil and other metal and plastic materials.
That’s when Cadwell, Inc. owners Andrew and Joan Cadwell proposed a comprehensive recycling project that promised to make room at SEC and help the island remove a large amount of debris from its already full landfill. 160,000 pounds of recyclables which were gathered, sorted, transported and shipped off the island to the U.S..
At Cadwell, they are focused on identifying the best recyclers in the United States to export materials to help defray the cost of labor, transportation, and container freight.
“This was a major project for us,” said Johnson, whose vision is to continue implementing sustainable, environmentally sound practices while transforming the utility by building its renewable power generation infrastructure. “This project freed up space for our new power plant while improving safety at our facility.”
“Saba Electric is doing a great job and is becoming a model for other Caribbean islands,” said Andrew Cadwell. “There is no question, they are helping the island maintain its pristine environment with their commitment to recycling and adding 20 percent per year to its use of solar power and possibly wind generation in the future.”
The recycling initiative aims to benefit Saba and its citizens by keeping waste out of the landfill and promote environmental sustainability.