Plastic trash ‘endless and everywhere’, activists report
(CNS): A group of volunteers who engaged in a weekend beach clean-up in North Side on Monday have said that most of the garbage they collected was plastic and microplastics, which was “endless and everywhere”. Plastic Free Cayman organised the latest effort to keep Cayman’s beaches clean, joining up with Protect Our future and the Miss World Cayman contestants. The volunteers reported that the plastic was embedded in rocks, sargassum, sand and at the base of all of the plants that line the coast along some of Grand Cayman’s last remaining unspoiled beaches.
Plastic Free Cayman, the local activists who are campaigning for government to introduce a ban on some single-use plastics, said they selected the area of beach just west of the Queen’s Monument on Old Robin Road for this weekend’s clean-up to coincide with the celebrations for Queen Elizabeth’s 95th birthday.
Although these beaches see the least public traffic, they are especially vulnerable to the debris washing up from elsewhere. More than 20 volunteers removed over 375 pounds of rubbish, most of which was plastic spoons and forks, toothbrushes, fishing line and rope, bits of polystyrene (Styrofoam) and parts of plastic bags.
Thomas Dickens, from Protect Our Future, said volunteers normally see local garbage on the western side of the island, but during this clean-up, “a very large percentage of the plastic was clearly of foreign origin. It only goes to show how much of a global issue this is.”
Nicholas Corin, also from POF, said, “It was a very successful cleanup, but it was really upsetting to see how badly effected the north side of our island is. There is a lot of washed up garbage in comparison to other beaches but also, it is clear that our own litter laws are not being enforced, which is disappointing.”
Plastic Free Cayman still hopes government will take a look at the position taken by the European Union, which has adopted a hard stance on several single-use plastic items, such as plastic cutlery, straws and plates, plastic bags, cotton buds, and polystyrene cups. “These are also some of the most common items washing up on our shores,” the volunteers stated in a release about the clean-up, as they one again urged government to come through on the long awaited ban.
Rashana Hydes (Miss World Cayman) said, “It was disheartening to see so many plastics of all shapes and sizes polluting our beautiful shores.” She added, “As the world moves forward, we must come together to create effective, practical policies to eliminate single-use plastics.”
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Category: Land Habitat, Science & Nature
Have no fear folks…PACT government is here. Please allow them time to prioritize their workload.
Also, kudos to Jacques Scotts for reverting to recycled paper bags.( do keep your beers much colder also)
Yep the queen birthday was April 21 but why celebrate it in June, I no England do in June because of the weather but why cayman
Goes to show that a local ban on plastics will achieve next to nothing
This fatalistic nonsense that we are too small to make a difference is ridiculous logic; as an individual you don’t presumably throw your trash in the sea despite the fact that it will make next to no difference. You don’t do it because you don’t have to and there is a better alternative; likewise for plastics.
Good for PR points is about all.
Even if we stopped using single plastics here our beaches would still be littered with what washes up from vessels and other places. Many of the so called composting plastics come with a disclaimer. Please read the fine print, most are made with only a fraction of organic plant based plastic and require a proper commercial composting facility to break down. Heat and moisture is the key. Just because they are thrown into our dump composting are does not mean they break down without generating more micro plastics or degrade completely.
Anyone with a half of a brain should know that. I KNOW IT!! The biggest polluter with styrofoam is Mr. Dart. He cranks out thousands of cups and to-go boxes every day. I think styrofoam has been banned in use for some countries, but as far as I know, the Cayman government has looked the other way while the styrofoam keeps coming. Money talks, you know, and Mr. Dart has made multi-millions with plastic. As long as he has a country’s government in his pocket, it ain’t gonna stop!
Ken sold his shares in Dart Container and quit over five years ago.
Ironically, he now has a direct financial interest in reducing pollution. Having his family’s plastics wash up on his waterfront developments lowers the property values.
Our beach on the North Side has a different assortment. We see mostly plastic water and soda bottles, flip flops and running shoes, plastic bags, rope and nets, and styrofoam articles.
The queen’s birthday was months ago.
Spot the new guy on island….
April 21st. Prove me wrong.
Reading comprehension 101 – 8:33am said nothing about you being wrong.
Pay attention newbie.
Boring.
Like your mom
https://www.royal.uk/queens-birthday
I said prove me wrong, not right.