Plastic lunch box ban looms

Jamaica will impose a ban on the use, importation and manufacturing of plastic lunch boxes and personal care products with microplastic beads, starting June 1.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, made the announcement during his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate last Friday.

"We have taken the lesson of the first round of the plastic ban as it relates to public education and need to give sufficient lead time," the minister said.

The Government imposed a ban on single-use plastic bags, straws and polystyrene in 2019. The ban covers the importation, manufacture and distribution of plastic bags, commonly referred to a 'scandal bags', or other bags with dimensions of 24 inches by 24 inches or less.

Samuda said the development of a national policy on the environmentally sound management of single-use plastic products is to be done this coming fiscal year. He said that Jamaica currently collects more than 30 per cent of the plastic bottles produced monthly.

"We commend the NSWMA (National Solid Waste Management Authority) and Recycling Partners of Jamaica, who have achieved this, up from eight per cent three years ago," he said.

"We are in a race against time to ensure that we improve our waste management target, and one of the ways ... is to ensure we extract plastic waste from the waste stream. We will continue to work with stakeholders to determine the appropriate legislation necessary to achieve our goal. Our goal is not less than 70 per cent of all plastic being produced monthly to be collected and recycled for the benefit of Jamaica," Samuda added.