While the beaches and street of the island serve as a backdrop for photo shoots for the likes of Tommy Bahama, Calvin Klein, and Victoria's Secret, City Hall has been busy renewing the partnership agreement between the municipality and Eco Emballages.
Since 1992, all industries that sell pre-packaged household products are required by the French government to recycle, or have someone else recycle, the packaging. Eco Emballages was developed as a sub-contractor for French businesses who hire the company to handle their recycling. Eco Emballages shares the money paid by the businesses with its partner communities. The company currently has contracts with 33,000 communities who have signed up to collect and separate five materials: steel, aluminum, paper, plastic, and glass. In exchange, Eco Emballages pays them a sum relative to the tons of recycling collected. They also pay for the recycling and transportation of the materials.
In 1998, Saint Barth was the first French overseas community to sign a contract with Eco Emballages. The contract was drawn up based on the size of the island, and contains a special clause accepted by the Minister of the Environment. As a result, the island is only required to collect three materials for recycling: steel, aluminum, and glass. Paper and plastic can be mixed with household trash and are burned at the local incineration plant, which in turn produces steam that aids in the production of desalinated ocean water.
The area around the incinerator in Public has slowly been set-up to better deal with selective trash collection. There is a new area for separating materials, a new crushing machine, and the modern incinerator itself is the only one of its kind in the Caribbean.
Compressed car bodies and iron are sent by barge to Venezuela. Aluminum and batteries go by ship container to France, and glass is shipped to Bordeaux where it is used to fabricate bottles. This solution works technically, but is not the best in terms of economic or environmental considerations. The directors of Eco Emballages looked for other, less complicated or less expensive, solutions for the long term. In the Caribbean, they found two glass factories, one in Trinidad and one in Santo Domingo, but no deal could be made as these two factories make bottles out of clear glass and most of the glass collected on the island is tinted. And in fact, it turns out that the cost of transporting the glass from Saint Barth to Santo Domingo was twice as much as between Saint Barth and Bordeaux.
Another problem is the saturation of the European market in terms of recycled glass, so another solution had to be found. After thinking of someplace close by, the idea was proposed for a recycling center in Saint Martin. A company in Saint Barth, in conjunction with Eco Emballages, presented the plans for an industrial center that would manufacture sand and gravel from recycled glass collected in the Caribbean islands. These materials could be used as a bottom layer for road paving, for putting in pipes, or filtering swimming pool water. This recycling plant is under construction and should be operational by early 2006.
The majority of the residents of Saint Barth understand the importance of recycling, but there are still those who do not comply. Many have gotten used to separating glass, aluminum, and other metals into clear plastic bags that the municipal garbage service collects every week. Close 750 tons of glass are collected but the potential is closer to 1000 tons. As for steel and aluminum, the total collected had diminished from 2002 to 2004. In 2002, 14.7 tons of aluminum, primarily cans, were collected from households. In 2004 the figure had decreased to just 10.7 tons, or a decrease of 28%. The number of cans from canned food decreased by 15%.
While the numbers show that Saint Barth is a good student who could do even better, the island is certainly the leader in the overseas communities when it comes to recycling. The islands of Martinique and Reunion have recently started recycling as well. As for Guadeloupe and Guyana, in spite of the obligatory regulations, these locales do not yet have a plan in place for the collection and treatment of recyclable trash.
Beyonce and Jay-Z have taken their daughter on her first vacation. The couple, who celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary last week, have been enjoying the sunshine on the Caribbean island of St. Barts with three-month-old Blue Ivy over the weekend, and took the tot for a day trip on a yacht.
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Kick-off Les Voiles de Saint Barth 2012 Caribbean regatta in the magical French West Indies sailing paradise!
Today the prestigious and top-class Caribbean sailing regatta Les Voiles de St. Barth 2012 with Gaastra Sportswear as the official partner starts: At the third edition run...
Inside the Bucket.
This video features the 2012 St Barths Bucket Regatta and music by the Evan Goodrow Band. Special thanks to the entire crew of the Rebecca, Baz Bar, St Barths Online and the guys from the Evan Goodrow Band for putting on a fantastic show. The song from the Evan Goodrow Band is c...
On board with Rebecca.
The best event in St Barths took place on March 24 - 27, 2012. This video features the beautiful 141 ft sailing yacht, The Rebecca.
produced by Real Media Travel for St. Barths Online and Baz Bar St Barth.
The age old saying of "I need a holiday to get over my holiday" actually seems applicable if you happen to be Paul McCartney.
The Beatle took wife Nancy Shevell on a romantic break to the Caribbean island of St Barts, just days after the pair visited Paris.
Last week, the lovebirds showed support ...
On the day their pregnancy news was announced, Thor star Chris Hemsworth, 28, and Elsa Pataky, 35, were seen in sunny St. Barts, France on Wednesday (January 18). The Fast Five actress looked lovely in blue, sporting her beautiful baby bump.
Chris Hemsworth and Elsa Pataky
Chris and Elsa - w...
She might be 44, but Tamara Mellon still boasts a figure that women half her age would be proud of.
The Jimmy Choo co-founder showed off her toned figure in a sexy animal-print bikini as she hit the beach with her daughter in St Barts yesterday.
The skimpy string two-piece highlighted Tamara's env...
With almost every other celebrity couple enjoying the New Year in exotic locations, Gary and Danielle Lineker weren't going to be any different.
The married couple were spotted enjoying a romantic walk along a beach in St Barts today - and looked very much in love.
Gary, 51 and his wife, 32, had o...
Which beaches to choose?
The glamorous island of St Barts is one of the Caribbean's top beach destinations. Ringing the island are immaculate strips of sand and ethereal turquoise waters. The shallow reefs that encircle the island help to protect these renowned beaches, and they also provide excell...
St. Barts, Why Not?
Since the wealthy and celebrated frequently visit St. Barts for a tropical vacation, you will find that many plush St. Barts Resorts can be found on this stunning island. For those taking St. Barts holidays, it is simple to find hotels with each luxury available. Frequently thes...
Vacation With the Rich and Famous at St. Barts.
Want to bump into celebrities and be seen hanging out where the rich and famous play? Then the Caribbean island of St. Barts is the place to be.
While warm sand and blue waters do make an ideal vacation location, this destination has that and a whol...
Where to go for one day in Caribbean?
St. Maarten / St. Martin
The half-Dutch, half-French island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, with its many restaurants and hotels, makes a great base for an island-hopping adventure. Graced by the nickname Unspoiled Queen, tiny little Saba is not the kind of Caribbe...
Villa La Plage in St Barts.
The posh French resort isle of St. Barth's was already a prize destination when Roman Abramovich purchased an estate there for $89 million in 2009; since the oligarch arrived it has become even more so.
Now Christie's International Real Estate has listed another impres...
Baywatch in St Barts.
Making it official after five years of engagement, Brooke Burke and beau David Charvet have reportedly tied the knot while yachting in St. Barts.
According to Life & Style, the "Dancing with the Stars" host and the former "Baywatch" hunk, who have been vacationing in the...
St. Barth Summer Sessions Aug. 5-15, 2011
St Barth Summer Sessions 2011 this year will have a focus on artists from Brazil. The festival will take place at a variety of different venues all over the island, and in the end of the festival there will be a big common concert in the Harbor of Gustavia ...
The Eclipse, no ordinary yacht.
It probably hasn't escaped your attention that, with modern methods of transport, measuring and telecommunication, no "terra incognita" is safe from the crazed enthusiasm of certain explorers of scientists. Everything has already been discovered and minutely placed o...
Ashley Rodriguez Trio
Ashley Rodriguez, one of the famous finalist from the American Idol 2010 is back in St Barth between May 5-15. Ashley was participating last summer for the St Barth Summer Session in august 2010 at La Plage and she will now come with her 'All Girls Band', Liz on the guitar ...
The La Plage restaurant introduce :
ST BARTH SUMMER SESSIONS
« 5 to 15 august 2010, 10 days of crazy music ! »
Festival program
La Plage St Jean Tel: 0590 52 81 33 Email: tombeach@wanadoo.fr Site: www.stbarthsummersessions.com
THE GREAT FISH DEBATE There seems to be a bone of contention among a few of my friends. Fine folks who love some of the finer things in life, such as Dover Sole That flat fish floating in butter and capers. Known in French as Sole Meunière, it is made from what is called in European fisherman ver...
