Perpetual Plastics adds sheet press, targets higher-volume plastic recycling

GREAT BAY--Perpetual Plastics, a project under the EPIC Foundation, hosted a two-week technical and operational training visit by the GoGo Plastics Foundation, a Netherlands-based producer of recycled plastic sheets that processes approximately 20,000 kilos of waste plastic into sheets (panels) annually.

GoGo Plastics brings global experience from work in India and the Philippines, including projects in remote locations with unstable electricity and limited recycling infrastructure. Their model is rooted in the open-source worldwide network of plastic recyclers known as Precious Plastic, the same foundation on which Perpetual Plastics operates.

Perpetual Plastics, launched in mid-2024, recently acquired and received a sheet press with support from Stichting DOEN. The new equipment can process large amounts of waste plastic into durable plastic sheets (panels) that can be manufactured into a wide range of products, similar to how a 1x1 meter sheet of plywood can be used, with the recycled plastic version designed to be more sustainable and requiring little to no maintenance.

To support efficient production and further professionalize local operations, Perpetual Plastics invited GoGo Plastics for hands-on, on-site guidance. The visit included two weeks of intensive training covering not only production methods, but also maintenance, marketing, and design, as well as the educational component tied to community involvement and engagement. Education and awareness remain key components across EPIC programs and projects.

During GoGo’s visit, Perpetual Plastics hosted a stakeholder session titled “Let’s Talk Trash”, bringing together participants from government, education, the social sector, the waste and recycling sector, and nature and environmental conservation and protection. The session introduced stakeholders to Perpetual Plastics’ expanded recycled sheet initiative and focused on how partners can collectively contribute to solutions for St. Maarten’s plastic waste challenge. The gathering concluded with a collaborative art activity symbolizing shared commitment toward a greener, cleaner St. Maarten.

The Perpetual Plastics team thanked those who participated in “Let’s Talk Trash,” and also acknowledged those who helped make the GoGo visit and recycled plastic sheet production possible, including private donors, Seaview Beach Hotel, and Stichting DOEN.

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Persons interested in learning more about plastic recycling, or getting involved, are invited to visit the Perpetual Plastics plastic recycling social workspace in Cole Bay at Union Road 125-3.

Opening hours

• Monday and Saturday: 9:00am to 12:00pm
• Tuesday and Friday: 8:00am to 4:00pm

Perpetual Plastics works with persons who have a distance to the traditional labor market and accepts plastic types 2 and 5, identified by the number inside the recycling triangle on items.

For more information or to get involved, email: perpetualplastics@epicislands.org