SWANA and USAID’s flagship global program partner to address ocean plastic pollution

The Solid Waste Association of North America (SWANA), Silver Spring, Maryland, and the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO) program have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to address ocean plastic pollution. The association will provide capacity-building and technical assistance to CCBO’s global staff, industry representatives and government officials.   

According to a news release from SWANA, the association’s resources will benefit CCBO’s rapidly urbanizing focal countries across Asia, the Pacific Islands, Latin America and the Caribbean. Through the partnership, knowledge can be exchanged to advance local waste and resource management and strengthen solid waste management practices in CCBO countries, with an initial focus on the Caribbean and Latin America.  

CCBO is USAID’s flagship program to address ocean plastic pollution, working in 10 countries and more than 25 cities globally to support the U.S. government’s Save Our Seas Act legislation and advance local waste systems that can prevent ocean plastic pollution at its source.   

“SWANA and its members have substantial expertise and experience on how to identify and implement sustainable solid waste management solutions,” says David Biderman, SWANA’s executive director and CEO. “SWANA is also the industry leader for training and education, and we look forward to providing assistance to CCBO and its partners.”