Plastic pollution is a huge problem, one that more people are waking up to. Southeast Asian countries have topped the list for years, most notably China as the top producer of plastic waste. However, when looking at how much plastic waste is generated per capita, the Caribbean tops the list and generates more than 4 times the plastic waste per person than China!
As originally reported by Forbes, 10 of the top 30 global polluters per capita are from the Caribbean region. These include Trinidad & Tobago, Antigua & Barbuda, St. Kitts & Nevis, Guyana, Barbados, St. Lucia, Bahamas, Grenada, Anguilla, and Aruba. Each year these ten island nations generate more plastic debris than the weight of 20,000 space shuttles.
Trinidad & Tobago produces the largest amount of waste at 1.5 kilograms per person per day, the most in the world. They estimate that at least 0.19 kg of plastic waste per person is almost guaranteed to end up in the ocean. This is due to improper disposal and accounts for more marine plastic per capita than 98% of the countries in the world.
Horrible waste management is the root of the problem, along with a lack of education about the dangers of plastic. They estimate that the uncollected plastic in the Caribbean countries is 322,745 tons every year according to World Bank data.
As if the global average of 80% of marine litter coming from the land wasn’t bad enough, in the Caribbean 92% is estimated to come from the land. They also estimate 22% of the households just throw their trash directly into the waterways.
United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) marine cleanup data for the Wider Caribbean Region recovered 3,990,120 plastic debris items from 2006-2012 over an area that covered 2,317 miles.
The good news is, as of January 1st, 7 Caribbean countries have decided to ban single-use plastic. They include the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, and the aforementioned Trinidad & Tobago.
Daryl Vaz, head of Jamaica for Economy and Employment commented on the news; “January 1 represents an important date in the fight against plastic pollution that affects not only Jamaica but the entire world.”
The Bahamas placed a ban on importing any single-use plastics and polystyrene (Styrofoam) that went into effect on January 1st.
There will be a transition period of 6 months for businesses to comply with using the plastics, said The Bahamas Ministry of Environment. Fines will go into effect in June 2020.
These are small, but necessary steps that must be taken if we are going to clean up this plastic mess that we all live in. The Ocean Cleanup Foundation estimates that mismanaged plastic waste could triple by 2060 if something is not done about it now.
The Plastic Pollution Coalition has reported that plastic poses a threat to humans during every stage. From the wellheads to refineries, inhalation, skin contact, and in the waste process, microplastics enter the water and are ingested by fish and other marine life.
This alarming information about plastic pollution that has been allowed to take place, with little or no thought of wildlife or the environment, must come to an end. Stricter laws need to be implemented now. Production of plastic straws and other useless plastic objects should be shut down effective immediately because, as Daryl Vaz said, this affects not only Jamaica but the entire world.
