The fight against single-use plastic and styrofoam has been gathering steam over the past years, and the Caribbean has been one of the regions taking the lead in this area. Eight Caribbean nations have implemented bans on plastics and styrofoam, the latest ones are:
- Grenada has put in place a ban on styrofoam imports effective September 2018, a ban on styrofoam sales effective April 2019 and is finalizing consultations to enact a ban on single-use plastic products by February 2019.
Minister for Climate Resilience and the Environment, Senator Simon Stiell made the announcement stating that the ban is not being instituted arbitrarily, but in consultation with importers and other stakeholders. He further stated that Government is committed to working together with stakeholders to ensure that the transition and economic impact of the ban on Styrofoam and specified single-use plastics are as seamless as possible.
- Dominica has announced its aim to completely ban common plastics and single-use Styrofoam cups and food containers — effective January 2019.
Announcing this intention, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said his government wanted to help preserve Dominica’s famously beautiful natural landscape and be the world’s first climate-resilient nation. The decision to protect the environment goes hand in hand with the country’s commitment to protecting itself against future natural disasters.
A UNEP study maps advances the Caribbean region is making towards banning plastics and styrofoams, currently, 10 nations have implemented or announced bans and 5 are in discussions to adopt them.
To learn more about the Grenada ban click here
To learn more about the Dominica ban click here
To see UNEP’s interactive map on plastic bans click here
