The Caribbean Islands They have been for years the largest producers and polluters of plastic in the world. While it is true that the most developed countries are the ones that consume the most plastics, but that does not mean that they are the ones that pollute the most . Many countries do not manage the waste that ends up in the sea well, harming the environment and themselves because they do not have programs for reuse, recycling or safe landfills.
This is what is happening with the Caribbean countries. According to EFE, of the top 30 global polluters per capita of plastic bags (currently in the world about 5 billion are consumed) ten are from the Caribbean region.
For example, Trinidad and Tobago produces 1.5 kg of plastic waste per person per day , the highest in the world.
The case of Belize is also alarming to say the least. A 2017 assessment commissioned by the Department of the Environment found that, over three years, Belize imported more than 200 million plastic bags annually Y 52 million plastic and Styrofoam containers ; and locally produced and manufactured around 35 million single-use plastic bags and 5 million pieces of Styrofoam.
These countries do not have the resources to manage the waste they generate, so they end up in the sea, causing the collapse of their coasts and affecting one of their main sources, The tourism.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 jobs are at risk due to these practices , considering that more than 300,000 tons of plastic waste in the Caribbean are not collected.
According to information from the United Nations Environment Program, More than 4 million pieces of plastic waste were collected in coastal areas between 2006 and 2012 in the Caribbean. Organizations like ** Parley for the oceans ** are well aware of this, which is trying to dispose of these plastics by reusing them through innovative projects.
Some of the countries that have crossed the red line are Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Grenada, Anguilla and Aruba. But as of this January these countries, some of them had already put measures in place since 2018, ban single-use plastics forever.
The seven are Jamaica, Belize, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Bahamas.
With these measures, these seven countries would prevent the degradation of their marine habitat . For your part Bahamas , opens a six-month period for hotels and businesses to stop selling plastics in one go; It will be from July 1 when they begin to fine those who do not comply with the norm registered in the Environmental Protection Law 2019 from Bahamas.
In Barbados The restriction measures have been in force since 2018, although it was on January 1 when the ban became effective. According to the website Barbados.org there will be a ban on gasoline-based plastic bags, except those used for the packaging of pharmaceutical products, hygiene products and food preservation. They have also proposed to stay free of fossil fuels by 2030.
For its part, Jamaica It is one of the countries that is doing the most on its part. They have not only banned the use of plastics but also support initiatives for reuse. As it is, it appears on the institutional website that applauds the initiative of a young woman who wants to transform plastic into heat-resistant and environmentally friendly flooring.