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Plastics Waste Metabolism in a Petro-Island State: Towards Solving a “Wicked Problem” in Trinidad and Tobago

Author

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  • Kalim U. Shah

    (Biden School of Public Policy & Administration, University of Delaware, Newark, NJ 19716 DE, USA)

  • Keron Niles

    (Institute for International Relations, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, Newark, NJ 19716 DE, USA)

  • Saleem H. Ali

    (Department of Geography, University of Delaware, Newark, NJ 19716 DE, USA)

  • Dinesh Surroop

    (Faculty of Engineering, University of Mauritius, Reduit 80837, Mauritius)

  • Doorgeshwaree Jaggeshar

    (Faculty of Engineering, University of Mauritius, Reduit 80837, Mauritius)

Abstract

Island systems have limited geographical, ecological, and social capacity to metabolize waste materials produced by the economic activities of their growing populations. Conceptualized as a ‘wicked problem’, the faults and weaknesses in waste management systems on islands continue to cause acute and cumulative ecological and human health impacts. Trinidad and Tobago is one such island jurisdiction grappling with this situation, particularly being a petroleum-dependent economy. Through the lens of neo-institutional theory, this case study of waste management in Trinidad and Tobago unpacks the efforts, reactions, drivers and circumstances that have led to various successes and failures but no definitive solutions over time, especially regarding plastics and packaging materials. We identify three temporal phases of policy evolution that have altered the waste metabolism trajectory to date: (1) government led patriarchal approach of traditional landfilling combined with behavioral change campaigns to reduce, reuse, and recycle, (2) to a more democratic, shared burden, public-private partnership approach combined with attempts at incentive-based regulations, (3) to the present, more private sector-led voluntary bans on production and use of plastics. This study contributes to our understanding of the institutional factors that shape the search for solutions to the wicked problem of island waste metabolism.

Suggested Citation

  • Kalim U. Shah & Keron Niles & Saleem H. Ali & Dinesh Surroop & Doorgeshwaree Jaggeshar, 2019. "Plastics Waste Metabolism in a Petro-Island State: Towards Solving a “Wicked Problem” in Trinidad and Tobago," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-19, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:23:p:6580-:d:289459
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jiazhe Sun & Kaizhong Yang, 2016. "The Wicked Problem of Climate Change: A New Approach Based on Social Mess and Fragmentation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Julia Thienen & Christoph Meinel & Claudia Nicolai, 2014. "How Design Thinking Tools Help To Solve Wicked Problems," Understanding Innovation, in: Larry Leifer & Hasso Plattner & Christoph Meinel (ed.), Design Thinking Research, edition 127, pages 97-102, Springer.
    3. Nancy C. Roberts, 1992. "Roberts: Public Entrepreneurship and Innovation," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 11(1), pages 55-74, March.
    4. Shah, Kalim U. & Niles, Keron, 2016. "Energy policy in the Caribbean green economy context and the Institutional Analysis and Design (IAD) framework as a proposed tool for its development," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 768-777.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anna Barford & Saffy Rose Ahmad, 2021. "A Call for a Socially Restorative Circular Economy: Waste Pickers in the Recycled Plastics Supply Chain," Circular Economy and Sustainability,, Springer.
    2. Simron Jit. Singh & Marina Fischer-Kowalski & Marian Chertow, 2020. "Introduction: The Metabolism of Islands," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-8, November.
    3. Johnella Bradshaw & Simron Jit Singh & Su-Yin Tan & Tomer Fishman & Kristen Pott, 2020. "GIS-Based Material Stock Analysis (MSA) of Climate Vulnerabilities to the Tourism Industry in Antigua and Barbuda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-22, September.
    4. Euclides Santos Bittencourt & Cristiano Hora de Oliveira Fontes & Jorge Laureano Moya Rodriguez & Salvador Ávila Filho & Adonias Magdiel Silva Ferreira, 2020. "Modeling the Socioeconomic Metabolism of End-of-Life Tires Using Structural Equations: A Brazilian Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-28, March.

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