Exploring solid-waste as an indicator of sustainability in small island developing states (SIDS): Case study of Tortola, British Virgin Islands (BVI)

Small island developing states (SIDS) in the Caribbean are largely absent from the global debate on assessing progress towards physical sustainability. Seeking to bring Caribbean SIDS into this discussion, the utility of solid-waste as a sustainability indicator in a small island context is explored. The argument for waste as an indicator rests on an understanding of the entropic nature of the economic process.; The specific example of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands is used as a case study. Despite having the only municipal solid waste incinerator among the English speaking islands of the region, substantial growth in waste quantities threatened to precipitate a waste management crisis. Analysis of waste receipt data for 1995–2000 allowed identification of major trends, and estimations of local and tourist contribution to Tortola's waste stream. Environmental, economic, and social aspects of sustainability related to the solid waste situation are discussed and it is determined that the true power of solid-waste as a sustainability indicator rests on concurrent use with indicators on materials inputs to the economy.; Ultimately, the entropic nature of economic processes determines that material flows are the physical basis for sustaining human economies. The natural boundary of island systems like Tortola makes them excellent candidates for such research. Tortola is in a good position to develop material accounts and provide an example for other Caribbean SIDS in assessing progress towards sustainability.