As of January 1, 2020, the Government will impose a ban on\nthe local manufacture, distribution and use of expanded polystyrene foam\nproducts used in the food and beverage industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is being done as part of initiatives to place greater\nfocus on pollution control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Senator Matthew\nSamuda said that public education has been done and he is comfortable that\npeople are aware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\u201cMuch like the plastic bag\u2026we expect that some [products]\nwill take a little while to be fully used up, but we do expect that early in\nthe New Year you will see a marked reduction in the use of styrofoam food\ncontainers,\u201d Senator Samuda said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He told JIS News the ban on expanded polystyrene foam\nproducts is better for the environment and for public health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Senator Samuda also reminded Jamaicans that persons, who\nbreach the ban, will face the full force of the law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe encourage people to be compliant from day one. As you\nwould have seen\u2026 over 40 businesses have been fined since the ban was\nimplemented on plastic bags. We expect that a similar level of vigilance will\ntake place from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the\nvarying agencies,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On January 1, 2019, a ban was placed on specific categories\nof single-use plastics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ban relates to the importation, manufacture and use of\nplastic bags of dimensions 24\u201dx24\u201d and thickness of 1.2 mil or less; the\nimportation, manufacture and use of plastic drinking straws, except those\nattached to juice boxes and tetrapaks as well as straws utilised by the medical\nsector and the disabled community; and the importation of expanded polystyrene\nfoam (commonly called styrofoam) used in the food and beverage industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two Ministerial Orders were signed under the Trade Act and\nthe Natural Resources and Conservation Authority (NRCA) Act to reinforce the\nban.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The maximum fine under the Trade Act (Trade Plastic Packing\nMaterial Order) 2018 is $2 million, while under the NRCA (Plastic Packaging\nProhibiting) Order 2018, the fine is $50,000. Both Orders carry a term of\nimprisonment of two years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
December 31, 2019, Written by Latonya Linton, Photo by Mark Bell<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" As of January 1, 2020, the Government will impose a ban on the local manufacture, distribution and use of expanded polystyrene foam products used in the food and beverage industry. This is being done as part of initiatives to place greater focus on pollution control. Speaking in an interview with JIS News, Senator Matthew Samuda […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":71765,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71764","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-policies"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n