After two years of discussion, the Government of Guyana has approved a series of actions that will lead to the restriction of the use of Styrofoam products and an eventual ban in June 2014.
This is according to Khemraj Parsram, Director of the Environmental Compliance Division at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), who stated at a stakeholders’ consultation yesterday at the Duke Lodge Hotel that several initiatives have also been set in motion to alleviate the garbage problem plaguing Guyana.
These initiatives include the ‘Pick it Up Guyana Campaign’ and litter regulations which have been drafted and signed by Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud.
In Guyana, Styrofoam and plastics constitute about 15% of the waste stream and are non-biodegradable and therefore have a detrimental impact on the environment.
According to President of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry Clinton Urling the proposed ban will not significantly affect the private sector and is unlikely to result in economic hardship for business owners. He went on to state that because Guyana is not a producer, but rather an importer of Styrofoam it will not suffer loss of businesses that profit from the production of Styrofoam materials.
Urling opined that the consumers might suffer minor inconveniences as the proposed biodegradable materials may be less resilient than Styrofoam but overall, the inconveniences will pale in comparison to the benefits.
These benefits were in reference to the points made in a presentation by Environmental Officer at the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment Ndibi Schwiers.
According to Schwiers, Styrofoam contains the toxic substances styrene and benzene, which are suspected neurotoxins (substances that affect the nervous system) and carcinogens (cancer-causing substances). When people heat food in Styrofoam boxes, the toxins come into contact with the food and are then ingested into the body, causing adverse effects.
During the presentations, the need to change the culture of Guyanese was reiterated by each of the speakers. According to Urling, “litter is a people’s problem, not a materials’ problem.”
He pointed out that, even with the proposed ban, the drains and alleyways of Guyana are still susceptible to garbage and will eventually be littered with the biodegradable materials that are being rallied for. He called for a comprehensive policy that addresses litter with the aim of changing the attitude that Guyanese hold towards the issue.
However, during discussions, President of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana Christopher “Kit” Nascimento,pointed out that a culture change is ineffective without sufficient garbage disposal facilities.
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Commerce Irfaan Ali promised a strong enforcement mechanism to ensure that the ban is imposed. The problem of plastics will also be addressed in the future.
