The recycling effort

On a Saturday afternoon at the end of May, the thick smoky haze created by the burning of the sugar cane fields and larger forest
fires on the mainland, covers the docks at Island Shipping in Honduras like a blanket. A group of men struggle to place a large refrigerator
into the 40-foot sea container. It's the final day to drop off used, broken and out-of-date electronics and electrical equipment. This is the second year that Mahogany Bay and Island Shipping are organizing a recycling opportunity for the population on Roatan in partnership with The Municipality of Roatan. Environmental officer Linda Martinez has her team ready to ensure the items are loaded and documented correctly. The container is nearly full and will be shipped to La Ceiba by Island Shipping and handed over to the recycling company "Reciclaje Diamante S.A." from Tegucigalpa, dismantling the discarded equipment and selling the usable parts.
Elena González, the representative from Mahogany Bay, explains that recycling is a new concept for many people. She believes that people will learn how and where to recycle their items with proper education. Once the new Roatan Municipal Dump is operational, it will have
organized recycling stations for all the rubbish collected and delivered. Although the container is nearly full, Elena and Linda wish more
people had participated in the drop-off. They have promoted the event on social media but realize that not everyone may have seen the posts.

Elena González is the representative from Mahogany Bay and coordinates the effort with Island Shipping and The Municipality. (Photo: Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen)

Elena is optimistic about the initiative's future and hopes to hold recycling events every few months, but acknowledges that this
will require more resources and support. She believes that Roatan is leading the way in Honduras with this recycling initiative, as
recycling has been limited in the country thus far.

President Angela in conversation with Roatan Municipality Environmental Officer, Linda Martinez. (Photo: Roger Bjoroy-Karlsen)

The Rotary Club of Roatan Utila Guanaja has been actively involved in clean-up efforts with BICCU, and The Mahogany Bay, focusing on
beaches, mangroves and the environment as it is one of Rotary's focus areas. Club President Angela Claire Bjoroy-Karlsen fully supports the
recycling initiative and wishes and is willing to have the club help spread awareness about recycling beyond social media and into the
villages by getting the schools involved.