Samuda welcomes business sector’s response to ban on plastic lunch boxes
By Halshane Burke
Environment Minister Matthew Samuda has welcomed the response of the business sector to the ban on plastic lunch boxes and items containing micro beads.
The ban came into effect on July 1, cutting off the importation of the products.
Senator Samuda says it is expected that the supply currently in the market will be completely depleted by the end of the year.
He says while the ban is good for the environment, it’s also a public health policy.
“There are some measures that we would like to explore, and in the coming weeks, with discussions with PSOJ (Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica) and the JMEA (Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association), I’m sure we’ll make some public announcements. There are some things the government wants to do but because of the WTO, the World Trade Organization, process of declaring and advising long before you put some of these things into place,” he noted.
“A local business sector has said in some cases they will take the steps and their membership will stop using particular types of packaging because what is published about it. So, I think we’re at the early stages of what could be classified as a coalition to deal with this plastic waste issue, and for that, we certainly want to continue to work very closely with both JMEA, the PSOJ, and of course the JCC (Jamaica Chamber of Commerce) as well to ensure that that coalition actually gets stronger.”
Mr. Samuda was speaking Thursday on Radio Jamaica’s Beyond the Headlines.
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