Plastics are extremely useful in many ways and have been an important part of lives, but their production as well as disposal, pose a great threat to our environment. Think about every piece of plastic we touch in a single day: grocery bags, food containers, coffee cup lids, drink bottles, straws for juice boxes. They all find a way back into the environment because of improper disposals. Plastics may be convenient, but its success carries a steep price. Plastics have now become a waste nightmare and it is time for us to educate and present alternatives to this growing dilemma. Though it is difficult to completely avoid it, it is time for us to try and minimize its use and its environmental impacts.
Over the years many countries around the world have made steps to implement a ban on single-use plastic. The use of single-use plastic and the indiscriminate dumping of such continue to pose many environmental problems that threaten our planet, ecosystems and our basic survival.
In 2018, the United Nations Environment raised the alarm on the impact that single-use plastics was having on the environment. They urged citizens to be mindful of the adverse effects of their consumption of single-use plastics and to reduce their use. The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is concerned that we as a people are too reliant on single-use plastics and that we give little to no regard to its life cycle including its disposal. Plastics are non-biodegradable which results in plastic materials becoming detrimental to the environment.
The Ministry of Environment and Cooperatives is undertaking a series of stakeholder consultations to ensure that the views of everyone concerned are reflected in the proposal. The first consultation will take place on Friday, 16th April and will include Departments such as Consumer Affairs and Trade. The next round of consultations will continue with the private sector. The Ministry looks forward to everyone’s participation in this very important exercise.