By Vanessa Braithwaite

THE Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA) is actively pursuing plans to curb the smuggling of styrofoam containers. This is according to Natural Resources Minister Raphael Trotman, who on Thursday said that many reports of smuggling have come out of Berbice and the relevant authorities have been notified.
The importation of styrofoam food- service containers and styrofoam materials for the purpose of manufacturing (molding) of food containers, was completely halted on April 1, 2016 by the GRA.
The ban however did not stipulate the non-usage of Styrofoam material that was already in the country. Upon implementation of the ban, the EPA prepared an audit of stocks of styrofoam food-service containers imported and manufactured in the country to determine the quantity existing and the estimated period for consumption.
This information will facilitate determination of the effective date for full enforcement of the ban, including usage. These include styrofoam food containers, plates, hot and cold beverage cups, meat and vegetable trays, egg cartoons, and other products made of expanded polystyrene.
It however did not apply to pre-packaged food. The importation of bio-degradable food and beverage containers no longer attract the Value-Added Tax.
Bio-degradable alternatives are made of 100 per cent natural materials such as bagasse, paper, corn starch, and even mushroom, and are readily available throughout the country. These have been deemed a more environmentally friendly alternative to styrofoam containers in view of the health effects derived from their usage.
Styrofoam makes up about two to five per cent of the waste stream, and is used mostly in the food industry. The improper disposal of the single-use item has been and remains a threat to health and the wider environment, incurring clean-up and disposal costs in the sum of millions of dollars, a cost borne by the tax-paying public.