Single-Use Plastic Ban initiative to kickstart in St Kitts and Nevis in December 2024

Nevis: Single-Use Plastic Ban initiative is all set to be implemented in St Kitts and Nevis as the phases and the timelines for banning of the plastic has been unveiled. The first phase of the initiative will be launched on December 31, 2024, under the theme- “A journey toward a greener and cleaner future.”

In the first phase of the initiative, items such as T-Shirt Shopping Bags will be banned for importation until December 31, 2024. The sale and distribution of the items will be banned until March 31, 2025.

In phase 2, the items including Styrofoam Food, Containers and Plastic Straws will be banned. The importation of the items will be banned until April 30, 2024, while the sale and distribution will be banned until July 31, 2024.

The phase 3 will include the items such as Single-use plastic, Utensils, Plastic cups and Plastic plates. The ban on the importation of these items will be applied on August 31, 2025, and the sale and distribution will be banned on November 30, 2025.

Department of Environment of St Kitts noted that in one year, the single-use plastic ban will be applied to ban these items in several sections of the society. According to the department, the plastic ban is necessary to protect the ocean as it harms marine life while disrupting delicate eco-systems.

There is a need for hundreds of years to decompose the plastic bags and by reducing their usage or permanently banning them, landfill waste could be reduced. It will also propel the sustainable water management system.

In addition to that, a cleaner and greener environment will be promoted with less use of plastic.

The citizens and residents are asked to implement eco-friendly practices with the use of paper bags. People are asked to bring their own bags for shopping and other work so that the inflow of plastic can be reduced.

The advisory for the usage for the reusable straws and utensils has been issued to decline the flow of Plastic straws and utensils. The implementation of the three R’s- Reuse, Reduce, Recycle has been promoted by the government, aiming to enhance eco-friendly practices.

Without plastics, decomposable items will come into use that will help in reducing landfill waste and pollution. The eco-friendly materials will require less energy compared to traditional plastics.

Premier Mark Brantley shared the schedule and asked the public to avoid using plastic on a daily basis as it could be helpful in preserving the environment.