The full ban on single use handle plastic bags is fast approaching, with only 15 days left until the ban on the sale of food in these products is officially outlawed in Grenada.
As part of the Non-biodegradable Waste Control Act of 2018, this regulation is a significant step towards limiting the occurrence of plastic litter to decrease plastic contamination in the Tri-island state of Grenada.
The Non-biodegradable Waste Control Act of 2018 has received widespread support since coming into effect, starting with the phasing out of Styrofoam’s containers last year. Now, on Feb. 1, comes another significant phase.
In just 15 days, at the end of a year-long implementation process following a ban on importation in February 2019, and a wholesale ban last December, Grenadian businesses will no longer issue single-use handle shopping bags at supermarkets and food outlets island-wide.
The official “15 Days to Plastic Free Shopping Countdown” begins Friday, Jan. 17.
This is a key milestone in the protection and preservation of “Pure Grenada” as a national brand as the country strives to become known as a nation and people who value their God-given natural resources, making the legislative and social changes necessary to lead the way in a regional transition to a sustainable Blue Economy.
The goal is to enhance the quality of marine and coastal areas with ecosystems that are healthy and climate resilient, and free from plastic pollution.
When small plastic objects (like plastic bags, bottles, straws and utensils) are found in rivers and coastal waters, they can have significant detrimental effects on our fish and wildlife, which in turn can also pose health risks to humans.
Plastics regularly cause entanglement, suffocation and premature death if ingested. Plastics also break down into tiny particles known as micro plastics, which have been found in the flesh of fish and animals, and can be consumed by humans when we eat fish, birds and other wildlife that may have ingested the plastics as food. Limiting the use of single used handle plastic bags, or plastics in general, can help to significantly reduce the quantity of plastics that go to into our landfill, and find their way into coastal areas and waterways that lead to the ocean. This will aid in the preservation of our natural resources and wildlife, and directly benefit public health.
The general public is being encouraged to begin using their own re-usable shopping bags when going shopping, in anticipation of the upcoming ban. The Ministry of Climate Resilience looks forward to the support of the public in the implementation of the Non-biodegradable Act of 2018.
