GOVERNMENT has again underscored its dedication to the enlightened, progressive, and most welcomed initiative to gradually phase out the use of single-use plastic containers by the year 2021.

That policy position, which has been repeated time and again, even before the coalition took office,was most recently emphasised by Minister of State Joseph Harmon,under whose portfolio the Department of Environment falls. The Minister was at the time addressing the World Wildlife Day Youth Forum, hosted at the Sophia Exhibition Centre.

According to the minister, “The work has already begun on sensitising our population to the fact that 2021 is the date we have identified for a ban on single-use plastic.” Explaining the need to ban such items, Minister Harmon said, “As much as 40 per cent of oceans are tremendously affected by pollution, with an estimated eight million metric tonnes of plastic waste entering the world’s oceans annually.”

He noted too, “This [forum] provides a good opportunity to raise awareness about the vast diversity of marine life globally; its crucial importance to human development and the importance of prudent management of marine resources for future generations.”

Government’s commitment to this noble undertaking should be applauded. Guyana has declared the intention to drive advancement forward along an environmentally-sustainable, or ‘green’ trajectory of development. And the single-use and wanton disposal of non-biodegradable pollutants such as plastic bags is inconsistent with a ‘green’ development philosophy. The single-use containers to which Minister Harmon alluded include items such as non-returnable plastic bottles in which drinks are sold. However, locally, the greatest, most harmful offender may be the single-use “black bags” that most supermarkets and shops use to deliver goods to customers. Those bags are made of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic. They do not biodegrade, although they may break down. Such chemical breakdown releases its constituent components, including toxic chemical contaminants into the air, land, and water.

With the total ban on single-use plastic containers in 2021, Guyana will catch-up to several countries which have already implemented similar initiatives, as well as setting an example for territories which have yet to take action in this regard. The harmful environmental effects of such material have long been recognised, unfortunately, though, economic considerations, including the low cost of manufacturing such items, had stymied many efforts to improve the status quo.

By the beginning of the 21st Century, it became clear that any economic benefits of using such materials were outweighed by the high environmental costs. Plastic bags cause many environmental issues, the most common of which is the quantity of waste produced.

Many plastic bags end up on streets or in streams, polluting major water sources. Even when disposed of properly, they take many years to decompose and break down, generating large amounts of garbage over long periods of time. Improperly discarded bags have polluted waterways, clogged sewers and been found in oceans, affecting the habitat of marine creatures. Two primary kinds of direct damage to wildlife are entanglement and ingestion. Marine animals can become entangled and drown. In many cases, plastic bags are ingested by animals that cannot distinguish them from food. As a result, the bags may clog their intestines, which results in death by starvation.

In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country to ban the use of the lightweight plastic bags. Since then, many other countries have taken action; as of February 1, 55 countries have such a ban in place. Having already taken action in support of the environment by banning the use of styrofoam containers in 2016, and applying tariffs to plastic bottles, government is obviously committed to following through on its objectives and implementing its goals. Given the phased nature of the transitions, it is clearly intended that there be minimal disruption as Guyana moves forward towards a cleaner, sustainable, and environmentally healthy future.