In 2019, the government here in St. Kitts and Nevis spoke of putting legislature in place to ban the use of single use plastic on St. Kitts and on Nevis for the calendar year 2020.
Jamaica, Dominica and the Turks and Caicos, Haiti, St. Vincent and the Grenadines are just some Caribbean territories that have already joined the global movement.
Environmentalists note that over 1 million marine animals (including mammals, fish, sharks, turtles and birds) are killed each year due to plastic debris in the ocean.
Currently, it is estimated that there are 100 million tons of plastic in oceans around the world.
The United Nations Joint Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution (GESAMP), has estimated that land-based sources account for up to 80 percent of the world’s marine pollution and 60 to 95 percent of the waste being plastics debris.
There have been cries across the world concerning the damage these plastics have been doing to the environment.
Here in St. Kitts and Nevis, how are these single use plastics impacting the various Eco systems in the federation?
Lemuel Pemberton, Director of Marine Resources here on Nevis, outlined to the VONNEWSLINE how plastics have impacted marine life.
In addition to this, Mr. Pemberton expressed there is more than-meets-the-eye when it comes to a ban on single use plastic and need all stakeholders to be on board to see positive results in this aspect.
We further spoke to Manager of the Nevis Solid Waste Management Authority (NSWMA), Mr. Andrew Hendrickson about what would a ban coming into effect mean for our surroundings?
Mr. Andrew Hendrickson.
The VONNEWSLINE contacted Premier of Nevis, the Hon. Mark Brantley, on Friday 17th January, 2020 for a comment on the progress of the legislature but indicated to this media house that they were engaged in discussions at the time.
