Destination Zero Waste Curaçao
Plastic waste that is not properly managed becomes plastic pollution. On small islands this pollution harms biodiversity, damages coral rees and beaches, affects public health, and undermines livelihoods that depend on clean coastal environments.
In Curaçao, less than 10% of plastic waste is recycled, and the island’s landfill is nearing capacity. Destination Zero Waste Curacao addresses this gap by collecting plastic waste in collaboration with the tourism sector.
The first phase of Destination Zero Waste Curaçao took place etween 2023 and 2025. More than 150 tonnes of plastic were collected through beach cleanups, community drives and channelled from 44 tourism businesses who financed plastic collection points within their businesses. Collected plastic was washed, shredded and upcycled into souvenirs that were sold as products to cover the operational costs of the facility, creating 23 inclusive jobs for women, youth and people with limited labour-market access.
This second phase of the builds on Curaçao’s established plastic collection and recycling system by expanding participation from 44 to 92 tourism and hospitality businesses. All collected plastic will continue to be transported to the Green Phenix recycling centre, where it is sorted, washed, shredded and transformed into new marketable items. By increasing both the volume of material processed and the number of businesses involved, the project further reduces plastic leakage into Curaçao’s natural environment and strengthens the island’s circular economy, creating 36 green jobs in the process. The sale of upcycled products creates a more reliable revenue stream for the recycling facility, helping move the operation toward long‑term financial sustainability.
This Curaçao model, which has demonstrated how coordinated collection, local value creation and strong tourism‑sector engagement can significantly reduce plastic waste will be shared across all six Dutch Caribbean islands as part of a regional knowledge exchange on practical plastic‑reduction initiatives, supporting a broader transition toward a circular, low‑waste tourism economy across the Dutch Caribbean.
Project Partner
Green Phenix is a social enterprise that aims to creates a circular inclusive economy in the Caribbean. Plastic waste is collected and with innovative technology transformed into new, long-lasting & meaningful products.
