Reducing single-use plastics, Styrofoam, and other pollutants within the food service industry is the focus of a newly funded project in the United States Virgin Islands (USVI). The aim is to provide one-to-one technical assistance to restaurants, bars, food trucks, and charter boats that serve food, helping them identify cost-effective ways to reduce waste and pollution. The work is being conducted under the umbrella of the existing Clean Coasts initiative led by the non-profit Virgin Islands Conservation Society (VICS), in partnership with the Virgin Islands Department of Planning and Natural Resources (DPNR), Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) and with funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). 

“Our goal is to create long-term change by working with businesses and community members to take action against pollution,” said VI Clean Coasts Program Director Sienna Gray. “By working together, we can protect the USVI’s coastal ecosystems and ensure a cleaner future for generations to come.”

The focus on food service was a strategic approach since tourism and hospitality are key drivers of the USVI economy. In 2024, nearly one million visitors came to the islands, which are U.S. Caribbean territories and also home to sensitive environments including coral reefs, mangroves, and tropical forests. Waste management also presents a challenge due to limited space, steep terrain, and the high costs of shipping waste off-island. In addition, the aging landfills on St. Thomas and St. Croix are already overflowing and do not comply with current federal waste management standards. “Addressing waste is critical to the sustainability and hope for a healthy future for Virgin Islanders. No one can tackle this alone, but by working together, directly with business owners, operators, and other community members, we can create lasting change in the way we live and work” said EPIC Executive Director Tabitha Stadler.

The Clean Coasts initiative is designed to tackle pollution and drive sustainability through several key components:

• Business Certification Program: Helping businesses transition away from Styrofoam and other pollutants by providing training, resources, and certification for sustainable practices.
• Community Education & Outreach: Public workshops, digital campaigns, and events designed to inform and inspire community action.
• Pollution Reduction & Monitoring: Implementing tracking systems to measure the reduction of waste and pollution in key business sectors.
• Strategic Partnerships: Working with stakeholders like the USVI Hotel and Tourism Association, the VI Professional Charter Association, and the University of the Virgin Islands.

EPIC, in collaboration with VICS, DPNR, and the EPA, is committed to making Clean Coasts a success. To get involved with Clean Coasts and for more information or to join the program, visit the Clean Coasts website or email siennavics@gmail.com