Plastic ban to include eight single-use items
(CNS): Almost four years since the previous administration formed a committee to look at a ban on single-use plastic in the Cayman Islands, a proposal is finally going to Cabinet that could put an end to the importation of eight plastic items. Premier Wayne Panton revealed the news in a social media message for World Environment Day but did not say which products are likely to be banned.
This year’s WED theme is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. The UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) met in Paris last week, aiming to develop an international legal treaty by next year to work towards eradicating this growing pollutant and its increasingly alarming horrors.
Banning certain single-use plastics is one of the tools that countries are using to reduce their contribution to this growing pollution, given that less than 10% of plastic waste is actually recycled.
Despite the efforts of local activists, especially Plastic Free Cayman, which was established in 2017 to press for such a ban, Cayman remains one of only a handful of countries in this region that still has no restrictions on any plastics. However, the premier has said the PACT Government is committed to doing its part to reduce the collective consumption of single-use plastic, though he has not said why it is taking so long.
“The Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency is in the process of submitting a proposal to Cabinet for the ban of eight single-use plastic products, and we look forward to being able to share more information on this proposal in the coming weeks,” he said in the message.
“Government has an important role to play in helping to address the challenges of plastic pollution, but so do individuals and private organisations. World Environment Day 2023 is a reminder that people’s actions on plastic pollution matters [sic].”
Every day, people can refuse single-use plastic in favour of reusable alternatives or recycle and reuse items wherever possible and dispose of waste responsibly and lawfully, the premier said. “We can all be part of the solution to plastic pollution. Together, we can protect our beautiful Cayman Islands.”
But it has been left to the community to work on the problem as there has been almost no promotion or public education about reducing and reusing waste of any kind, including plastic, by the Department of Environmental Health. Plastic Free Cayman has been at the forefront of community efforts urging the ban, as well as cleaning up beaches and promoting alternatives.
Over the last six years, PFC activists have cleared around 90,000lbs of plastic from local beaches, and while it was given a seat on the steering committee formed to work on the ban, there have been no meetings since the COVID-19 pandemic shut the islands down in 2020. CNS understands that PFC has not been consulted since or told which eight products the government is proposing to ban or restrict in the first instance.
With teenagers across the Cayman Islands leading the charge on environmental issues, Protect Our Future (POF) has also played a big role in the campaign for a plastic ban as well as taking part in the clean-ups and organising demonstrations.
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Category: Environmental Health, Health
Once the ReGen waste-to-energy plant is operating (yes, it will be a long time; that’s a given) the plastic washed up on the beach will be collected and used as zero-cost fuel for electric generation. Saves lots of $$$ otherwise going out of your pocket and into CUC.
lol, rates will be increased to counter any usage drop and everyone here knows it. #CUC “We’ve got your money”
OUTLAW ROUNDUP NOW.
Glyphosate poisons our water and has severe negative health impacts.
MORE IMPORTANT AND DANGEROUS THAN SINGLE USE PLASTICS.
Not even close.
Just spoke with the EIA expert Jon Jon and he says an example of eight single-use items would be 4 large plates, 2 small plates, 1 large glass, and 1 straw. Or in his words “one regular meal”, and he is urging all of his constituents to follow him in giving up one meal a year to help save the country.
🤣
End result:
Feel good effect = 100%
Inconvenience factor = 100%
Total Net Waste reduction in environment = 0.00%
All the tenets of a good policy.
Invest in a clean incinerator and generate energy from the trash.
spot on
That’s the plan – ReGen WTE plant. Wayne, please finish the negotiations and get it started.
that doesn’t up CUC’s revenue #itwillneverhappen
I have a better idea. Increased landing fees for private jets landing in Cayman. We can call it an environmental fee to make up for the carbons burned for landing and taking off. Additionally we should apply a similar fee to the Vessels registered with shipping registry. Those Yachts burn tons of fuel at no public benefit.
While you are suffering at the grocery store and government has no answer to cost of living others are burning massive amounts of carbon they are coming for your solo cup.
Every increase should be justified by the value given back.
That does not apply when you have your own private plane broski.
Luxury taxes on gas guzzling pickup trucks and SUVs
That 90000 pounds of trash isn’t from people in Cayman that’s from other countries with the currents pushing trash on the shore.
Banning single-use plastics isn’t gonna fix the issue of plastic pollution. I have been to countries that don’t have landfills there more plastic that is an entire dump and they just put it in the rivers and oceans.
I agree Cayman needs to fix the dump, but banning plastic forks and single-use stuff isn’t going to fix the problems PPC complains about.
The entire Plastic Free Cayman needs to realize you can’t ban plastic all kinds of things are made with petrochemicals that aren’t even plastic that the common person wouldn’t know.
well, that is today’s reality.
Funny how generations forget. I can recall government narratives to switch to plastics to save trees. We were encouraged to switch from paper bags!
I remember when we were told to switch from grape leaf to paper because it was better for the environment. Guess that will be switching back soon too.
what happened to all the good wells and rain water that we use to drink. Oops, forgot we import municipal/sewer water in plastic bottles from US. I think there are still a couple people left on the Brac who drink rain water.
Ah, the good old days when you would catch water off roof in a 55 gallon tar drum and use it for drinking water – hardly any plastic bottles back in that day.
So start charging lets say 5 cents per plastic bottles – like they do in Maine, USA. When you bring the plastic bottle back to the store (or recyling centre) you get your 5 cents back.
Maine also banned single use plastic grocery bags and yet everybody still manages to survive without them.
Now the naysayers will say this aint Maine – you are right.
Anywho, I don’t expect any Government with Caymanians in charge will implement such a common sense idea.
Bring back glass bottles? Bring back paper bags?
cant stand people who post common sense ideas – you Mam or Sir definitely are not a politician or government employee
99% of the 90000 pounds of plastic cleaned from the beaches drifted in from somewhere else. By and large Cayman disposes of their plastic waste in the proper way. Now when it comes to where it goes, the dump, that’s a different story.
Why can’t we use a deposit system like they use in many states? You won’t find an empty soda or beer container laying about for long under that scheme. Plenty of people are willing to pick it up and return it to collect the deposit. This also puts the cost directly on those using it where it should be.
single use plastics:
Cotton bud sticks
Cutlery, plates, straws and stirrers
Balloons and sticks for balloons
Food containers
Cups for beverages
Beverage containers
Cigarette butts
Plastic bags
Packets and wrappers
Wet wipes and sanitary items
Face masks
Caps from pretty much everything
Single use condoms should be the first to go.
probably one of the few examples we could do with using a bit more of.
Virtue signaling PACT style.
2017 we’re committed 😅🔜
2018 we’re committed 😅 🔜
2019 we’re committed 😥🔜
2020 we’re committed 😥🔜
2021 we’re committed 😓🔜
2022 we’re committed 😓🔜
2023 a proposal is finally going to Cabinet that COULD put an end to the importation of eight plastic items. COULD, WOULD, SHOULD,
but we’re COMMITTED !
COULD
🔘used to indicate possibility.🔜❓
🔘used to indicate a strong inclination to do something. 🔜❓
yawn…four years later and just another soon-come update…..classic civil service/cig failure.
More civil servants on the payroll
Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Stop importing thirds world labor. No more Indians to start as they are the worse for littering.
caymanian and Jamaican are worst people….they left trash on beach after Easter camping! Take it funking home or to the dump!
People can be the worst! People
Look at all the locally owned neighborhoods with all the garbage littered around it. Derelict vehicles, old sofas and random waste are amongst most of these yards. Who are the ones too lazy to work or clean up after themselves?
Jaicans
The ones that blame everyone but themselves
All the “locally owned neighborhoods”? That devisive attitude helps no one. C U Next Tuesday.
No amount of beach tidying in Cayman or single-use plastic bans will stop the gully and ditch dumping that pervades most of the municipally corrupt third world, including our immediate up-current neighbours. These are two different problems. Local policy change will not have any impact on foreign-sourced trash. We will continue to get everything that floats, including their broken flip flops, boat wreckage, fishing line, nets, and plastic. Packaging choices for our imported products are decided at vendor headquarters on the mainland. A lot of it is #5. There is too much reliance on disposable single use take out styrofoam in Cayman. Cutting that to zero should be at the top of the policy list.
We are not responsible for what our neighbouring countries. However we can control what we do. That is if the elected official have the political will to do so. The people are clear on wanting the ban. We just have to see if the politician act to do what is right or what those who control the purse strings want them to do. My guess is that in two years we will still be begging for the single use ban.
Start with plastic straws please. Most adults should be able to drink out of a cup by now.
Don’t mess with my KFC, Popeye, Burger King and Wendy’s drinks. If you take my straw you will take may cover and that will make me very unhappy.
Get a sippy cup, you may have a hole in your bottom lip.
I want a LOL button 🤣
Start collecting caps. Beer caps, plastic bottles caps, perfume and all other caps.
Then Cayman youths could start different projects, such as art projects, demonstration projects, opportunities are endless.
Even collecting bottles caps in large clear containers to demonstrate the volume of waste small caps generate.
They can even “pave” sidewalks on school grounds with the cups.
https://www.google.com/search?client=safari&hl=en-us&q=sidewalk+from+bottle+caps&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiLg869l6__AhUNlmoFHUTtDUIQ0pQJegQICxAB&biw=375&bih=547&dpr=2
https://greenkidsnow.org/plastic-caps-recycling/
Middle school students collect one million plastic bottle caps in microplastics challenge
https://www.recyclingproductnews.com/article/38817/video-middle-school-students-collect-one-million-plastic-bottle-caps-in-microplastics-challenge
Banning plastic straws and styrofoam containers as giant commerical fishing boats drag giant nets across the seabed globally.
Brilliant!
Get rid of all straws – those paper ones are the worst!
What will the PACT government do for those permit workers living in Caymanian-landlord slum housing that lacks basic fire code pass, sanitation, and safe potable water? Residents there have to use part of their menial paychecks to buy flats and flats of water from the bulk stores as a staple. Even the police don’t go in these neighborhoods. Pedestrian access only. This is where Cayman’s minimum and sub-minimum wage workforce can afford to split rent for a roof over their head. We can’t expect the well-intentioned plastic free rich kids to know about where and how their helpers, cleaners and nannies actually have to live. No sleepovers to their world.
CIG has been aware of substandard housing for over 2 decades. All relevant agencies (doubtful Planning had much to say) have written and tried to bring this issue to the forefront before there is serious harm to human life. Half-hearted attempts were made over the years, but this was/is seen as too complicated to address by the head civil servants. The explosion of the house in North Sound Estates yesterday may or may not have been related to substandard housing. Still, maybe this Government will now have a better awareness of the issues and potential disasters.
Hey now, pipe down. Our wealthy inhabitants don’t want to hear this and God forbid that our wealthy tourists think about the poors.
Whilst this is well intended, and even commendable in effrot and scope…it’s such a small blip on the global radar that it’s almost meaningless. It saddens me to write what I just did. 99% of the plastics on our beaches, roll in on the daily tide and is evidenced by the majority it easily identifiable from its “other than english’ labelling.
Far too many countries literally use their rivers like the pipe-system for their waste and garbage to flow out to the oceans.
So yes, it’s a feel good and decent initiative proposed here and when it’s all accounted for, it will NOT register a blip on the pollution-saving radar unfortunately. SMH at this reality.
Like all good agendas and policies, it’s not about results or measurable effectiveness, it should be all about how we feel about ourselves and are perceived in the community.
Yes. Who cares about results as long as we feel virtuous and superior!!!
Virtue-signaling, in other words.
A virtue signalling campaign that does zero to affect the ever increasing global temperature increase.
Pass the rum
I’d like a spot of rum in a glass of course. Pretty please.
I prefer mine in a plastic cup
“Over the last six years, PFC activists have cleared around 90,000lbs of plastic from local beaches..”
Which, in turn, was placed into plastic garbage bags half of the time and then deposited onto Mt Trashmoore as the plastic continued to replenish itself from the ocean after every episode of bad weather?
Let’s be realist here. Sorry, not sorry, but those beach clean ups on iron shore in east end where nobody goes are absolutely pointless if all you’re doing is dumping it on top of the landfill.
Do we actually expect the billionaire developer to hire estate managers to maintain their beachfront portfolios? Why bother when these kids seem eager to do it for free once a quarter! The landowner has parked tractors across the street.