Waste electronic and electrical equipment, (WEEE) or e-waste, describes electrical and electronic devices that are nearing the end of their useful life, with no intention of reuse. E-waste is becoming a growing concern as it contains toxic components which, when improperly disposed of, can result in the exposure of the environment and living organisms to these toxic substances, and can potentially be harmful. As such, the sound disposal of this waste stream is important. In 2021, it was found that there were approximately 1.9 million active mobile phone subscriptions in Trinidad and Tobago, and as such the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago recognized the need for the environmentally sound management of end-of-life mobile phones to divert them from landfills and prevent pollution and exposure to its toxic components.
The BCRC-Caribbean, in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Development, developed the project entitled “Demonstration of the Environmentally Sound Management of Used and End of Life Mobile Phones in Trinidad and Tobago” in response to a call made by the Follow up Partnership for the Partnership for Action on Computing Equipment (PACE), now the Partnership for Action on Challenges Relating to E-waste (PACE II). In 2023, the project was amended to become ‘Demonstration of the Environmentally Sound Management of Used Mobile Phones and Computing Equipment in Trinidad and Tobago’, in recognition of and in response to the clarion call made nationally for technical support with and guidance in the ESM of used and waste computing equipment.
This project aimed to increase public awareness on the environmentally sound management (ESM) of used and end-of-life (EOL) mobile phones and personal computing equipment locally, and divert this waste stream from our landfills. The project was funded by the European Union through the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions, with a total budget of USD90,000.
The project consisted of five (5) activities. Activity 1 involved Project Planning and Coordination. The project formally kicked off on February 01, 2022 with a National Inception Workshop. This Activity also involved stakeholder engagement for endorsement of the project activities, and to obtain co-financing commitments from key national stakeholders, as well as quarterly project reporting.

On May 27, 2022, a national collection drive for used and EOL mobile phones was formally launched as a part of Activity 2. Fourteen (14) collection bins were placed at over twenty-five (25) locations throughout Trinidad and Tobago. This collection drive ran until the end of June 2023. One thousand, two hundred and twenty-two (1,222) used mobile phones were collected for onward disposal in an environmentally sound manner by Piranha International Limited (PIL).

Inter-Agency Competition to the Institute of Marine Affairs



Also as a part of Activity 2, Dr. Ahmad Khan of Rapid Environmental Assessments (2003) Limited was engaged as an E-waste Management Consultant was also engaged in March 2023 to assess Piranha International Limited’s Standard Operating Procedures and Processes, identify gaps and propose recommendations for improving the national technical and infrastructural capacity for the management of used and EOL mobile phones, and provide recommendations for improvement of the Basel Convention Technical Guidelines as they relate to the applicability in Trinidad and Tobago as a Caribbean small island developing state (SIDS). The main findings of this consultancy were presented at a virtual Validation Workshop in June 2023.
A national policy paper on the ESM of used mobile phones in Trinidad and Tobago was developed under Activity 3 of the project. The policy paper provides a detailed overview and assessment of the enabling environment for the ESM of used mobile phones locally and proposes a case for improving the management mechanism for this waste stream, with considerations given to overall e-waste management. The paper recommends the establishment of a compliant system for the ESM of mobile phone waste, creation of a regional hub for e-waste management, establishment of a collection mechanism, implementation of an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program, public-private sector partnerships, considerations for data security, as well as repair and refurbishment of used mobile phones, among others.
Activity 4 sought to raise public awareness on the ESM of used mobile phones and computing equipment. This was accomplished through the launch of the national Helping Electronics Live Longer (HELLO) campaign which was executed simultaneously with the collection drive under Activity 2 in May 2022. This campaign was developed to raise public awareness on the ESM of mobile phones and to demonstrate the best environmental practices (BEP) and best available techniques (BAT) in Trinidad and Tobago for the refurbishment and recycling of used and EOL mobile phones. The HELLO campaign and EOL mobile phone collection drive were featured at over eight (8) outreach events at secondary schools and pop-up events at Carnival events, markets and grocery stores.


To assess the effectiveness of the HELLO Campaign, a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) survey was launched in two (2) parts, to assess the effectiveness of the HELLO campaign. The pre-KAP survey focused on ascertaining the public’s knowledge on the impact of used and EOL mobile phones on human health and the environment, their attitude towards BAT/BEP for the ESM of used and EOL mobile phones and their personal practices regarding purchasing and potential disposal of mobile phones. The post-KAP survey focused on ascertaining the public’s knowledge of the awareness raising campaign and its impact, in addition to the impact of used and EOL mobile phones on human health and the environment. The results of the pre- and post-KAP surveys were compared in order to decipher if there were any behavioural changes in the public’s attitude and practices towards the ESM of used and EOL mobile phones after the launch of the awareness campaign.

An activity book was also developed to promote the HELLO Campaign youths between the ages of five (5) and thirteen (13). This was launched in October 2022 (International E-waste Day) and distributed at outreach and pop-up events throughout the campaign and even thereafter.




The main objective of Activity 5 was to enhance the ESM of used and waste computing equipment in Trinidad and Tobago. In order to achieve this, Ms. Camille Roopnarine was engaged as an E-Waste Management Consultant to develop a national inventory for used mobile phones and computing equipment and design of a take-back scheme for mobile phones locally. This consultancy also saw the development of a training manual on the repair and refurbishment of used mobile phones and computing equipment, and presentations on same for uptake by training institutions within the sector. A Video Development Consultant was also engaged to develop a training video on the ESM of used computing equipment to support the training manual as well as three (3) video shorts aimed at raising awareness on the ESM of used mobile phones, with the intent of addressing some of the concerns expressed as hindrances to e-waste recycling as evidenced in the KAP Report. These consultancies came to a close with a National Validation Workshop held on June 07, 2024 at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, and virtually via Microsoft Teams. Key national stakeholders were given the opportunity to provide feedback on the deliverables to support their subsequent finalization.

The project wrapped up formally with a webinar via the Zoom platform on June 27, 2024, which highlighted the five (5) project activities, lessons learnt and recommendations.
We wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to all who involved with this project and contributed to its successful completion!