Frank Rainieri urges international action on sargassum

Santo Domingo.- Tourism leader and businessman Frank Rainieri has called for urgent international action in response to the growing environmental threat of sargassum, warning that the region is bracing for more than 31 million tons of the seaweed. Speaking at The Nature Conservancy’s Conservation Summit in the Dominican Republic, Rainieri described sargassum as a “plague” and stressed the importance of creating government-backed research centers to develop sustainable solutions for its collection and reuse.

Despite collaboration with international experts, Rainieri noted that no efficient or economically viable method has yet been found to tackle the seaweed’s rapid spread. He urged that all environmental initiatives in the country be self-sustaining and aligned with nature to ensure long-term viability.

Rainieri, founder of Grupo Puntacana, also shared how the group has turned environmental challenges into conservation opportunities. One key example is water use for golf courses. Faced with the limited capacity of the Punta Cana aquifer, the group pioneered wastewater recycling, now treating and reusing four million gallons daily to irrigate green areas and three golf courses—completely avoiding the use of fresh groundwater.

The group also addressed solid waste management by initiating waste classification and vermiculture (composting with Californian worms). Currently, Grupo Puntacana is implementing Earth Flow, a large-scale organic waste processing system capable of handling up to 3,000 metric tons annually from residences, hotels, restaurants, golf courses, and the Punta Cana Airport.