Activist calls for local reuse solution for plastic
(CNS): Claire Hughes, the founder of Plastic Free Cayman, the non-profit advocacy group pressing for a massive reduction of plastic here, has called for the introduction of local recycling and reuse to tackle the mounting problem. This weekend dozens of volunteers joined a clean-up on the beaches after the huge waves and high seas from Hurricane Delta left them awash with garbage, a significant amount of which was plastic.
More than 40 volunteers who cleaned the beaches in Old Man Bay, North Side and Pease Bay in Bodden Town on Saturday and Sunday collected around 1,100lbs of garbage, most of which was plastic, especially plastic bottles, and micro-plastics.
“As plastic from other countries continues to wash up, we have to address our own policies and laws and set a better example to the rest of the Caribbean,” said Hughes after the clean-up. “We could make use of the plastic we collect and with the right investment, it could be shredded and used in construction blocks and slats. There are solutions out there, we just have to be willing to try them.”
As Plastic Free Cayman continues to press government to take direct action regarding single-use plastics, the progress made towards a plastic bag ban before the pandemic appears to have stalled and most of the plastic here is not recycled and is still going into the landfill.
Franchella Martin, a PFC volunteer who organised the Old Man Bay Beach team, said it was a great turnout and a successful clean-up of the beach. “We are so grateful to everyone who came out to help, and look forward to the continued support of the community as we plan our future events.”
The next clean-up for PFC is planned for 8 November at Barkers in West Bay, in conjunction with this year’s scaled down Pirates Week.
Category: Environmental Health, Health
At one time I exported millilns of pounds of waste off your islsnd…greedy and bad minded people ended it…
How About getting hold of WTE and sell them caymans garbage ? They can import it to other places that are in need .
All of the trash comes from the upwind shitholes of Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and DR. Picking it up is going to be a lifetime chore.
Ok cool so I guess we have been defeated, no point in trying to reduce our own impact then. Carry on.
Cuba isn’t a shithole.
I hope Plastic Free Cayman activists know who Boyan Slat is. He is the planet’s Earth TRUE HERO. The only person (with his team now) who is working since he was 16 on cleaning oceans of plastic garbage.
Please make sure every kid knows who Boyan Slat is. Go to schools and talk to children about his project. Some might choose a career in the OceanCleanups.
https://theoceancleanup.com/milestones/how-it-all-began/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoJX8BRCZARIsAEWBFMKh-WCor0exIxc0qVA2gx8q0PPb7f0Qy_fc0L2I4DdhXMtMmRTIRLcaAtI-EALw_wcB
https://theoceancleanup.com/careers/
From The Ocean Cleanup Facebook:
“On October 24th we will present our first product made with plastic from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.
During this livestream, Boyan Slat will share how we can take our plan full circle: recycling our catch into beautiful, sustainable products to fund the continuation of the cleanup. Learn more: theoceancleanup.com/live/
I truly hope Pastic Free Cayman activists won’t miss this livestream.
https://products.theoceancleanup.com/?fbclid=IwAR3O2Bgv0M01s8xbCHSPZApaUBPyXoAQ47ZBZ3tZr2z0SX1-iNK9KZozTSE
I saw a helpful bunch of people cleaning up plastic and junk near the CIFA field probably 3 weeks ago. They left all the bin liners bagged up at the side of the road for the garbage truck to collect next time they were going down Poindexter Road. Needless to say, it’s all still there, been ripped open by chickens and sprawled across the road and bushes again. I think people here seem happy living in $hit, that’s the impression I get – certainly from living in Prospect that appears to be the case.
Has anyone noticed the empty lot on Marina Drive at the intersection with Orange Drive – crap everywhere, abandoned vehicles, empty paint tins, dog shit etc etc.
Why doesn’t the lazy XXXX appointed Prospect MLA do anything for our constituency? I’ve lived in Prospect for 6 years, who actually is our MLA and why don’t they do anything? Do they only have to make a guest appearance when campaigning and then disappear?
Whilst people slate Big Mac (and I’m not a supporter), at least he looks after his constituency. At least certain parts of West Bay have proper pavements, drainage, roads swept, no debris, no pot holes etc etc – I could go on.
Perhaps any MLA who cared for our area, actually acted upon the words promised to his/her followers when campaigning instead of just spouting BS and doing sweet FA once elected essentially sticking two fingers up at the voters, got of their lazy ar$e and made a difference the Island would be a better place.
Prospect we deserve better guys, we’re probably the most run down/neglected part of the Island now.
Oh yes, that and bay island where I walk my dog where they dump tyres and all sorts of rusted broken construction equipment. It’s as bad as the half sinking boats in the canal all around marina dr which is owned by the same guy who is “developing” bay island.
How does dart fell about this?
very sad because he his environmental record is better than anyone else in cayman.
As in very bad record? Does he produce bioplastic? I think not!
LOL!
Building concrete offices and schools in garbage dumps then expecting the government to pay him to move it.
Go back in your tunnel, troll….
Good grief. Most of the time, these volunteers are actually cleaning up Ken Dart’s neglected oceanfront property portfolio. Further, a concentrated number of Industrial-age chemical dynasties, will eventually be held financially responsible for their deadly global pollution leachate (ie. the carcinogenic dioxins, PCBs, etc.) that created their fortunes. The heirs of dynastic chemical polluting fortunes, like Ken Dart, DuPont, Koch families, have been busy buying up swathes of undeveloped real estate via nominee companies everywhere, not to be savvy forward-thinking investors, but to hide and obscure their fortunes for when the final bill comes. They know, they are always one election away from public sentiment overtaking their land banking, as sweeping claw-back policy becomes a reality. Long-theoretical environmental taxation policy is already emerging in the EU as a way of paying back COVID costs, it’s sputtering away in Canada and USA as well. These are global tax movements happening right now, and there is a lot of popular support, even if it’s somewhat Peter for Paul.
Get the WtE solution underway. Once operational we can get energy from all this trash.
Fire is cool.
Yes, that is right. Now go light that candle Beavis!
I don’t trust the government to operate that system.
Could have saved yourself the trouble of typing the last four words
In the absence of emissions control regulations it would be an equivalent of committing a suicide. But nothing to worry about now, may be in 50 years or never.
Pipe dream!
We don’t produce enough garbage to make that dream feasible enough for private hawks.
In a couple years the operator will be pressing government for a garbage-import-license… once the backlog has been cleared.
Pragmatically, WTE needs either (a) >100,000 residents, or (b) to import garbage from elsewhere. Maybe a combination of both. Plus lots of cash in bribes and payments, a new road, and a new double-lined BT DISTRICT facility north of the existing non-compliant marl pits (the enviro debacles nobody seems to have any problem with).