Proposed plastics ban town meeting in GB

Proposed plastics ban town meeting in GB
Romauld Ferreira, Minister of the Environment and Housing (at podium), met with a cross section of residents in Grand Bahama on the proposed ban on single use styrofoam and plastics. The government hopes to implement a ban by 2020.   (BIS Photos/Lisa Davis)

The Ministry of the Environment and Housing hosted a town meeting on Thursday at the Foster B. Pestaina Centre, where a cross-section of residents turned up to hear about the proposed ban on plastics.

The meeting, opened by Minister Romauld Ferreira, revealed that with the Earth covered by 70 per cent water, it is most important to protect it. Every piece of styrofoam and plastic created is still in existence, and it has been estimated that by 2030, there will be more pieces of plastic in the ocean than fish. Humanity, he said, now has to move in the direction of preventing more plastics from entering the ocean.

As has been successfully done in other countries, the government would like to ban single-use styrofoam and plastics by 2020 according to the minister. He urged residents to be a part of this movement to save the environment.

Following his remarks, there was a brief presentation explaining that legislation is currently being drafted for the ban and the ministry is currently conferring with relevant stakeholders and getting their feedback through such meetings.

A presentation was also made to the second place winner of the logo competition, high schooler Alonzo McKenzie of Eight Mile Rock High School.  Businesses in Grand Bahama have been invited to meet with ministry staff at the Grand Bahama Chamber of Commerce on Friday to further discuss the proposed plastics ban.

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This article was written by ROBYN ADDERLEY, Bahamas Information Services.