Montego Bay Harbour cleaner since plastic ban

Executive Director of the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust Hugh Shim says that the city’s harbour has been much cleaner since the ban on single-use plastics and polystyrene foam in Jamaica.

The ban began on January 1 of this year and covers the importation, manufacture, distribution, and use of the materials.

“Since the ban, and progressively, we have seen fewer bags, especially the black ones that we call ‘scandal bags’. Definitely, less of them are coming down the gullies now and in the harbour and shorelines,” Shim said.

He said that there used to be a prevalence of bags, in addition to styrofoam containers and plastic bottles, along the city’s coastline prior to the ban. He said the materials choked marine life, as well as disrupted recreational activities.

Shim also noted that the micro plastics are sometimes eaten by fishing, “which then comes back to us” to be consumed, thus further spreading toxic substances. He said that should be less of an issue now that there were fewer plastic materials finding their way to Montego Bay’s seabed.

NEW CULTURE

“There is a major reduction in the black plastic bags, and there is less styrofoam. We are developing the culture where we take our own [reusable] bags to the supermarkets or wherever,” he said.

Shim indicated that more work needed to be done to enforce the ban on plastic bags and protect the environment. He pointed out that some establishments, particularly eateries, continue to use single-use plastic bags.

“I’ve seen some of the transparent ones (polybags) being used, which is just as bad, if not worse. It’s a ban, so it has to be enforced. Whoever is doing the enforcement has to go around the different shops or distributors and seize them,” he said.