Policy Framework to Sustainably Dispose of Destroyed Firearms and Ammunition Components in the Caribbean

This policy framework document is intended to support Caribbean states in the final stage of the life-cycle management of firearms and ammunition, i.e., the disposal of their remnants following destruction. Even after destruction by an approved method, states are left with potentially large quantities of waste material, which may be hazardous and therefore subject to restrictions for its final disposal.

The Caribbean Region has been afflicted by high levels of violent crime involving firearms and in 2020 the CARICOM states plus the Dominican Republic agreed on the Caribbean Firearms Roadmap to work collectively for a safer Caribbean region by reducing the quantities of illicit firearms and ammunition in the region by 2030. Progress in the destruction of firearms and ammunition has created significant stocks of remnants that must be disposed of in a safe, economic and environmentally benign manner.

A key aspect of the policy framework is to seek a common understanding and agreement between states on the level of destruction required to deem the destroyed firearms and ammunition as “remnants.” It then seeks to draw together environmentally acceptable options for states to use for the final disposal of these remnants. The economic realties of provision of the industrial facilities to conduct the final disposal operations (and indeed some of the destruction processes) suggests that regional cooperation should be pursued and the policy framework identifies some ways to work to this end, making recommendations
for the immediate-, medium- and longer-terms.