To Recycle or Reuse?

Although the Galapagos are known mostly for their unique natural ecosystems, they are also home to thousands of human beings. This unique situation brings with it a balancing act, between the needs of the natural environment and the people who also inhabit the islands. The situation on the islands regarding bottles and cans is a microcosm of a larger question regarding what should be brought to the islands, and who is ultimately responsible for it.

In order for food and other goods to reach the islands they must be shipped in from the mainland, in a journey of hundreds of miles. Bottles and cans of soft drinks, purified water and beer make up a sizeable portion of many of these shipments. Because of the limited space on the islands for waste management, this is a concern for the municipal government, the Galapagos national park, and all those involved in conservation activities on the islands.

Currently, it is illegal to ship bottles to Santa Cruz which cannot be re-used. Up until recently this was also the case on San Cristobal island. Under the law, only bottles which could be returned to the mainland, refilled and reused are allowed. The intent of the law is to decrease the amount of plastic and glass which must be recycled on the islands, and hold distributors responsible for the transport of bottles to and from the islands.

Unfortunately, the lack of regulation on San Cristobal and Isabela has rendered the law largely ineffective on Santa Cruz. According to the director of the Fabricio Valverde Recycling Center on Santa Cruz, Xavier Salazar, individuals are shipping the bottles and cans to Santa Cruz from Isabela and San Cristobal to get around the regulations. This practice has lead to an increase in the number of bottles on Santa Cruz, which must be processed and shipped back to the mainland.

In order to protect the Galapagos, it is important to maintain restrictions on what can and cannot be brought to the islands. The restrictions on non re-usable bottles was an excellent example of legislation in action to protect the islands. Unfortunately, there is more money to be made by distributors if single use containers are allowed, which may ultimately have been the reason the law was repealed on San Cristobal, and remains off the books on Isabela.