Plastic bags, styrofoam products still being used in Hanover
Published:Wednesday | January 2, 2019 | 12:00 AMBryan Miller/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
The banned single-use plastic bags ('Lada' and 'scandal' bags) and styrofoam products are still in full use in the parish of Hanover days after the national ban on those products came into effect.
Checks made at businesses across the parish revealed that the products were still being used, with no apparent immediate plans to replace them.
Explanations given for the continued use of the products ranged from "more public education is needed" to no available alternatives. Some businesses argue that they still had a stock of the banned products, asking, "What are we to do with them?"
Local restaurants, supermarkets, and other businesses in major towns across the parish such as Hopewell, Sandy Bay, Lucea, Green Island, and Ramble are also still using the banned items to package their products for willing customers.
"Dem can stay a Kingston and talk all dem want because dem no have a clue as to what prevails outside of Kingston," one shop operator in Lucea told The Gleaner.
"Wha dem planning fi do? Mek police stop look fi gunman and sen dem come lock we up fi use Lada bag?" another operator asked.
It was evident that some persons were not sure as to which bags were banned, and the food establishments were all still using styrofoam packaging, some along with the banned plastic bags to package their products.
Delay ban for one year
But one major business operator in the Hopewell area expressed agreement with the ban while at the same time suggesting that the announcement should have been delayed.
"From an environmental point of view, I am in agreement with it, but the rush to implement it poses problems and makes it (the ban) not practical," said the operator, who also suggested that a major public education programme be conducted for a year before implementing the ban.