The IslandPlas São Tomé and Príncipe project is working to reduce plastic pollution, strengthen national waste management systems, and improve livelihoods by establishing a comprehensive system for the recovery, recycling, and transformation of plastic waste. At the heart of this initiative is the PlastiNetwork, a decentralised network of plastic collection points designed to connect communities with material recovery, recycling, and transformation processes.

As part of efforts to establish this network, GreenAd, an implementing partner of the project, in collaboration with our local partner, Sucata Papagaio, successfully launched two plastic collection centres in the Lembá and Lobata districts of São Tomé and Príncipe on Friday, August 14, 2026.

The two centres represent an important step towards creating a more accessible and coordinated system for collecting and recovering plastic waste across the country. São Tomé and Príncipe comprises seven districts, with six located on the island of São Tomé and one covering the island of Príncipe. The establishment of the centres in Lembá and Lobata therefore marks the beginning of a broader effort to extend the PlastiNetwork across the country’s districts.

The launch ceremony brought together representatives of the national and local governments, project partners, community stakeholders, and other key actors in the waste management value chain. H.E. Nilda da Mata, Minister of Environment, Youth and Sustainable Tourism, officially handed over the newly established collection centres to the Presidents of the Lembá and Lobata District Councils, symbolising the shared commitment to strengthening local ownership and participation in the initiative.

Speaking during the event, Paulo Cassandra, Coordinator of Sucata Papagaio, provided an overview of how the collection system will operate, including the processes for receiving, sorting, and channelling collected plastics into appropriate recovery and transformation pathways. He also outlined plans to commence capacity-building activities this week to equip relevant stakeholders with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively operate and sustain the system.

The PlastiNetwork is designed to create opportunities across the plastic value chain, from collection and sorting to recycling and transformation, while supporting communities, creating livelihood opportunities, reducing plastic leakage into the environment, and contributing to a more circular economy in São Tomé and Príncipe.

Together with IUCN, The Coca-Cola Foundation, the Government of São Tomé and Príncipe, Sucata Papagaio, and other local and national partners, GreenAd remains committed to supporting practical and sustainable solutions to plastic pollution.