Culturalist calls for ban on styrofoam from Junkanoo

Culturalist calls for ban on styrofoam from Junkanoo

As the push toward the 2020 Plastic and Styrofoam Ban continues by the government, a leading culturalist is calling for the elimination of styrofoam from Junkanoo in the ban as well.

Pamela Burnside, wife of the late Jackson Burnside and proprietor of Creative Nassau said, the dangers and environmental concerns associated with styrofoam also impacts the Junkanoo community.

“Junkanoo needs to go back to the way it was and get back to the use of cardboard, which is less detrimental to the environment and safer to use,” Burnside said Wednesday.

Burnside was one of the attendees of a town hall meeting hosted by the Ministry of Housing and Environment as a part of its nation-wide public consultation and educational outreach campaign.

In an effort to simultaneously address marine pollution and waste management, single-use plastics – such as shopping bags, food utensils, straws and styrofoam food containers – will be banned by 2020.

Currently, a phase-out plan is being formulated and the government said it is also seeking to make the release of balloons into the air illegal, as they end up in our oceans, releasing toxins and injuring marine life.

Burnside said while it may be challenging for Junkanoo groups to remove styrofoam from the cultural event, she believes, it can be done.

“I think it is an easy way because out because it is easy as opposed to having to build it from flat surface but they also have to realize the dangers,” she said.

“They are not wearing protective gear and it sticks to your getting into everything having a harmful effect.”

Eyewitness News reached out to those in the Junkanoo community who are opposed to removing styrofoam from the building process, who said, it is a part of the evolution of Junkanoo.

About Genea Noel

Genea Noel is the news director and weeknight TV news anchor at Eyewitness News. She began working at Eyewitness News in 2018 as the newsroom editor and was subsequently promoted during her tenure. As a household name who graces the screens of thousands of Bahamian homes each night, Genea has racked up an impressive five Bahamas Press Club awards, including “The Cyril Stevenson Award for Outstanding Political Journalism” (2020), “Best Studio Live Producer” (2020) and “Best Newscast” (2018).