Environment

2 min read

What's up with the styrofoam ban?

Alina Doodnath
November 29, 2022 02:37 PM ET
Photo: iStock
Photo: iStock
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It's been over three years since government announced a plan to ban styrofoam containers, and yet they're still to be found on the nation's supermarket shelves.

So what's up with the proposed ban?

Planning and Development Minister Pennelope Beckles-Robinson told Loop News that the process must go through the relevant steps which includes the consultative process. 

"The real issue is to ensure there's a proper process...the matter is currently with the Minister of Trade as well as the Attorney General, in order for it to get to the next stage.

"We've been in contact with them all the time, it's a very important piece of legislation, but like everything else, one of the most important things to get it right, is to make sure...you have done all the appropriate consultations. I'm hoping that we'll have it soon, ready and before the Parliament within the shortest possible time."

Styrofoam products have been banned in other Caribbean islands such as St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti and Jamaica

Styrofoam is non-biodegradable. It is also called polystyrene and is made from a petroleum by-product called Styrene.

Styrene can be described as a toxic chemical and synthetic material, giving it a non-biodegradable nature. Styrene has also been reported to leach into food and drinks served in Styrofoam containers. 

According to the Earth Resource Foundation, the manufacture of Styrofoam releases large amounts of ozone into the atmosphere, causing respiratory and environmental issues. In addition, with billions of Styrofoam cups used yearly in convenience stores, restaurants and lunchrooms ending up in landfills, some cities have banned the use of Styrofoam.

According to the US EnvironmentaL Protection Agency, in 2018 US manufacturers produced 80 thousand tons of styrofoam, however a negligible amount (less than 5,000 tons) was recycled. 

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