Committee to Make Recommendations on Plastic/Styrofoam

The Government will be establishing a multi-stakeholder committee to make recommendations regarding plastic/styrofoam.

The committee is to be chaired by Director, Mona GeoInformatics Institute, University of the West Indies, Dr. Parris Lyew-Ayee.

Government Senator, Matthew Samuda, made the disclosure during his contribution to the State of the Nation Debate in the Senate recently.

“Upon commencement of its work, the Committee is expected to table its recommendations within a hundred days. It is commendable that the largest local producer of styrofoam has already commenced testing the biodegradable form of this material for market introduction,” he said.

In October 2016, Mr. Samuda led a Private Member’s Motion regarding the banning of imports of two non-biodegradable materials, namely single-use plastic bags and polystyrene foam.

Meanwhile, he said the joint initiative launched by the previous administration in 2014 in collaboration with members of the private sector, dubbed ‘Recycling Partners of Jamaica Limited’, will be continued.

“This was the programme supported by the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), which provided funding to collect and recycle plastic bottles while providing employment for those collecting and processing the material,” he said.

He said the partnership is responsible for the recycling of 2.3 million pounds of plastic, adding that the entity partners with 68 schools for collections, which help to sensitise children.