Consultancy Notice – Situational Analysis of the Recycling Sector in Belize

Introduction

The Government of Belize has enacted the Returnable Containers Act (RCA) Chapter 328:01 Revised Edition 2011 which provides for the establishment of a deposit return scheme for containers used in carbonated drinks. This legislation already provides value for certain products which are then collected by the informal sector and taken to redemption points/agents/centers. The most active of these until now is the beverage and liquid production group of companies. The Government has also enacted the Environmental Protection (Pollution from Plastics) Regulations, 2020 and its amendments which establishes a permitting system for the importation of restricted and prohibited products, establishes restricted products, and prohibited products and allows for the phaseout of the prohibited products.

The legislative framework may provide an opportunity to promote recycling in Belize as this sector is still in its infancy stage and is predominantly dependent on the efforts of independent companies who collect and receive materials and then export for processing. The informal sector would contribute to the collection systems, however information regarding the different actors and how they interlink is limited. To understand the local status, the Circular Caribbean Project is looking for a consultant to conduct a situational analysis of the recycling sector in Belize in close coordination with Department of the Environment (DoE) and other public sector (bodies or entities) that influence the sector.