Regulations will soon be developed and introduced in Parliament for the removal of microplastics from personal care products as well as the prohibition of plastic lunch boxes.

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Senator Matthew Samuda, provided an update on the country’s sustainability and waste management efforts, during the opening of the Recycling Partners of Jamaica’s new plant in Naggo Head, St Catherine, recently.

“Later in the fiscal year, we will table regulations for the removal of microplastics from our personal care products,” the minister noted.

“Now that is a very small component, weight-wise, of our total plastic waste, but that is another thing that the (plastic pollution) Treaty will call for, and we will be two to three years ahead in ensuring that these microbeads plastics that are in your face soaps, are in your deodorant, are not entering our wastewater stream, and there is no sewerage system globally that can pull this out. So that is another thing that we’re targeting and we will complete before the end of the fiscal year,” Senator Samuda said.

Furthermore, he said the regulations to address plastic lunch boxes aim to ensure greater waste management, while safeguarding the environment.

“We’ve created a policy which removed Styrofoam, but we did create a loophole which allows for plastic lunch boxes. That’s not where the country needs to be and we are taking steps to develop those regulations,” Senator Samuda added.

He said that Jamaica, like other countries, has seen an increase in its plastic waste.

“So, Jamaica, for instance, would have had 15 per cent of its waste stream being plastics about 10 years ago, that’s closer to 21 per cent now. Now, that’s not unique to Jamaica, but it is a point of contemplation,” the minister said.

Senator Samuda recognised the players who have been instrumental in the country’s environmental efforts.