“One
thing is certain, the paralysis of how we have approached items of our
environmental protection throughout our history ... is at an end.”
Government senator
Matthew Samuda commenting on changes coming from the Jamaican Government on a
potential ban of Styrofoam and plastic bags
Justice
is coming for the Jamaican Environment.
This
as the Jamaican Government will be taking measure to limit the use of Styrofoam
and single-use plastic bags as reported in the article “Gov't
To Take Action On Styrofoam And Plastic Bags - Senator Samuda”, published Friday
February 9, 2018 by Edmond Campbell, The Jamaica Gleaner.
This
action is the result of the work of Government senator Matthew Samuda, who had
championed the idea for the ban of Styrofoam and plastic bags when a motion was
finally passed in the Senate on Friday October 7th 2016 as reported
on my blog
article entitled “How
Plastic Bottles and Styrofoam may soon be banned in Jamaica”.
A
working group, chaired by the Director, Mona GeoInformatics Institute,
University of the West Indies, Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee, completed their task in
October 2017. Dr Parris Lyew-Ayee canvassed the opinions of several Jamaicans
via an online petition as reported back in August 25 as reported in the article
“Last
Day For Feedback On Proposal To Ban Plastic Bags”,
Published Friday August 25, 2017, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
The
working group will now submit their recommendations within 100 days of
Wednesday February 7th 2018 as reported in the article “Recommendations
On Reducing Plastic And Styrofoam Use In Jamaica Within 100 Days”,
published Tuesday February 7, 2017, The
Jamaica Gleaner.
This
will be centered on how to reduce and eventually remove Styrofoam and
single-use plastics bags but needs to be expanded to include 500ml plastic
bottles.
Ban on Styrofoam coming
- Recycling Initiative needed to tackle plastics already in the environment
My
personal recommendation is to pay Jamaicans JA$100 to return 500ml bottles and
other types of plastic such as Styrofoam.
This
a JA$100 is the overall equivalent cost the NSWMA pays per plastic item to have
it removed from the environment as noted in my blog
article entitled “How
JA$100 for recycling 500ml Plastic bottles and Styrofoam Ban will save
Jamaica's Environment”.
Also
the legislation on the collection of Garbage needs to be put in place to force
large companies and householders to sort their garbage by type into different
bins as follows:
1. Plastics
2. Electronics
3. Organic
Waste
4. Cardboard
and Paper
5. Metals
6. Glass
A
more realistic fine of JA$100,000 would also help to deter the usage of
Styrofoam and other plastics as well, including single-use plastics bags and
500ml plastic bottles.
Hoping
to hear what this announcement will entail, as albeit a ban is good, we need to
tackle the current problem that my recommendations would solve; getting
Jamaicans to care about the environment by paying them to keep plastics from
getting into the environment.
No comments:
Post a Comment