The End Plastic Pollution International Collaborative (EPPIC), a public-private partnership aimed at advancing more circular economies and reducing the environmental impact of plastic use, held an inception workshop in Guatemala City.
The workshop was hosted under the leadership of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in partnership with The Ocean Foundation, Searious Business and the Aspen Institute, and with the support of the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Embassy in Guatemala and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARN).
EPPIC will focus on increasing knowledge of potential upstream and midstream solutions to advance more circular approaches for plastic, ensuring policy and regulatory frameworks that support and promote the implementation of diverse solutions and technologies through mechanisms such as grants, innovation prizes, and business development support for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).
Globally, EPPIC will support the development of national projects by providing resources for interventions that ensure effectiveness and relevance to local contexts in Central America, Southeast Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa. In Central America, EPPIC will closely collaborate with governments to develop plans addressing plastic pollution in Costa Rica and Guatemala under the implementation of IUCNʼs Regional Office for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean (ORMACC).
Through its grant mechanism, EPPIC will provide financial support to implement local solutions to plastic pollution. In June 2024, the partnership launched its first call for applications for the grant program, with the announcement of the first round of grantees expected soon. A second call for applications is scheduled for January 2025.
According to Edwin Castellanos, deputy minister of natural resources and climate change at MARN, the proper management of solid waste is a priority for this administration, which is why they are interested in implementing viable solutions that can be developed in collaboration with municipalities, the private sector, and the general population. Furthermore, it was noted that plastics represent an opportunity to showcase innovative solutions that include, for example, reducing single-use plastic materials. In this regard, EPPIC will be an important ally in the search for solutions, it was concluded.
“The incorporation of Guatemala into sustainable supply chains is key not only to improving the countryʼs competitiveness but also to mitigating the impacts of climate change and protecting natural resources,” said Luis Guillermo Pineda, advisor to the vice ministry of integration and foreign trade at the Ministry of Economy of Guatemala (MINECO).
By strengthening policies, public awareness, multisectoral collaboration, and business development capacity, plastic circularity will be improved throughout its lifecycle, preventing the release of plastic waste into the environment.
Through its grant mechanism, EPPIC offers financial support for implementing local upstream and midstream solutions to plastic pollution. Guatemala will receive up to $225,000 under the current funding amount and potentially an additional $425,000 depending on future funding.
