Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis made the announcement in July 2018 and said that local styrofoam manufacturers had been given enough time to switch to more environmentally friendly products. A ban on the importation of Styrofoam products was also implemented. Citizens are also being urged to recycle plastic bottles, aluminium cans and glass bottles.
Minister of Planning and Development Camille Robinson-Regis said:
“Approximately two weeks ago the Cabinet approved the banning of Styrofoam to take place by 2019. There is a team that has been set up that is working with the current producers of Styrofoam so that they will not be totally out of pocket. They have a time over which their production of Styrofoam must become environmentally friendly. But in the meantime, we will ban the importation of Styrofoam products into Trinidad and Tobago.”
St Vincent and the Grenadines banned the importation of Styrofoam products recently while Grenada announced that it would do the same.
In April 2016, Guyana banned the importation of Styrofoam products awhile Haiti banned it in 2012.
In Jamaica legislation proposing the prohibition of Styrofoam products received a positive response after a private member’s motion was passed in Parliament in October 2016.
REFS
Published on looptt.com
