A new partnership aimed at reducing plastic waste and strengthening recycling efforts in the U.S. Virgin Islands officially launched on Monday at the Peter’s Rest Convenience Center on St. Croix, as one of the territory’s own companies gains international attention for its work.
The initiative, a collaboration between RePlastic Recycle LLC — owned by Steve Chmura, Amy Bowler and Lacy Geddie — and the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority, introduces a dedicated plastic collection station at the Peter’s Rest Convenience Center, where residents can now drop off recyclable plastics for local processing.
The launch comes just weeks after RePlastic was selected to present its model at a global sustainability summit, signaling growing recognition of a program that began as a small, community-driven effort on St. Croix.
“We’re super excited. This has been a long time coming,” said Lacy Geddie, a co-owner of RePlastic Recycle LLC, who was on site for the launch. “We’ve worked really hard on this partnership, and there’s just a lot of gratitude for everything Waste Management has done to help make this possible.”
The program accepts plastics labeled #1, #2 and #5 — commonly used for items such as water bottles, detergent containers and food packaging. Residents are encouraged to bring clean plastics with labels removed and lids taken off.
Unlike traditional recycling systems, visitors are not required to sort materials themselves.
“When people bring us their plastic, we won’t make them sort it,” Geddie explained. “Our staff will go through everything, separate what we can use, and return anything that doesn’t meet the guidelines.”
The collection site is staffed Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with team members available to guide residents through the process and answer questions. Educational materials are also available on site to help the public better understand recycling practices.
Organizers emphasized that the effort is designed to be accessible and community-focused.
“Don’t be nervous about bringing the wrong things,” Geddie said. “We’re here to teach, and we’re never going to shame anyone. Recycling is a learning process, and we want to make it as simple and welcoming as possible.”
All collected plastic will remain on St. Croix, where it will be processed into building materials such as plastic lumber, pavers and interlocking blocks — an approach that not only reduces landfill waste but also supports local manufacturing and job creation.
That model is now drawing international interest. RePlastic’s selection for a global summit highlights how locally developed solutions in the Virgin Islands are contributing to broader conversations about sustainability, particularly for island communities facing similar waste and environmental challenges.
Officials with the Waste Management Authority say the partnership reflects broader goals to reduce landfill waste and improve environmental sustainability.
“Waste Management Authority is excited to partner with RePlastic Recycling,” said Berita Coggins-Saldana, chief of staff at the authority. “We encourage shared responsibility with the public. Today marks a significant step in strengthening recycling efforts in the territory. We are heading in the right direction in diverting plastic from our landfills.”
While there was some hint of plans to expand the types of materials accepted in the future, it was noted that those efforts are still in development.
For now, this partnership is built on the hope that the community embraces the new program and plays an active role in reshaping how waste is handled across the island.
