St Vincent and the Grenadines bans single-use plastic bags

St Vincent and the Grenadines declared a ban on the distribution, sale or use of plastic bags, single-use plastic bags and food containers in the country.

Parliament on Tuesday stated that a person should not ship disposable plastic shopping bags from March 1, 2020, or disposable plastic foodservice containers from August 1, 2020.

A person shall not share, sell, disposable plastic food containers from January 1, 2021, and use disposable plastic shopping bags from August 1, 2020.

Minister of Health Senator Luke Browne declared the ban. The ban originates after the two years of styrofoam ban.

Minister told the legislators that styrofoam ban "allowed our environment and country to breathe a sigh of comfort and based on the evidence before us, dramatically diminished pollution levels.

We are now taking an additional step in the right path with the implementation of a plastics ban," Browne told lawmakers.

He said Minister of Finance Camillo Gonsalves predicted the ban on plastics in his 2019 budget speech, in which he communicated Government's dedication to establishing a framework for the regulation of single-use plastic bags and specific plastic containers this year.

The health minister said that Government held consultations with major supermarkets, retailers and local manufacturers of plastic bags.

"We have also taken time to explain the role of the plastic bag in the socioeconomic life of Vincentian consumers and businesses.

Browne said some retailers had commenced the rule of phasing out the use of single-use plastic bags.

The minister said he assumes that as alternative products become more trusted, accessible and affordable, that the Government will revisit the regulations to restrict more the types of disposable plastic products, which may be shipped or used.

He said the Government believes that the plastic limitation will receive related recognition and adoption as the styrofoam ban and benefit the environmental health.