WORD came last Friday that US President Mr Donald Trump intends, by executive order, to walk back a policy of his predecessor and return to the use of plastic straws.

“I will be signing an executive order next week ending the ridiculous [Joe] Biden push for paper straws, which don’t work,” he wrote.

At first thought one might be tempted to give out a sigh of relief, hoping our jurisdiction considers a similar approach and join the ‘Back to plastic’ brigade. But before convenience takes over the principled position, it is important people remember how we got here.

On the one hand, plastic straws seem very simple, but experts warn that they harm the world’s oceans and marine life.

In just the US alone, estimates suggest 500 million straws are used every single day. One National Geographic study reported as many as 8.3 billion plastic straws pollute the world’s beaches and that eight million tons of plastic flow into the ocean every year.

The environmentally conscious moved against single-use plastic items, like straws, in the hope of reducing plastic waste. While some people started voluntarily, legislation came from the Government of Jamaica to have a phased ‘de-commissioning’ of various plastic products.

Who would have thought that the ubiquitous scandal bag could have disappeared from widespread use in such compliance? Who says you can’t teach old dogs new tricks?

Jamaica is ranked number one in the Caribbean for the collection of plastic bottles for recycling, minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation Mr Matthew Samuda told us at the end of last year.

The local collection rate of plastics for recycling is above 40 per cent, and the country is aiming for the gold standard rate of 70 per cent collection.

“I am proud of the investment being made by the manufacturing sector,” he said while expressing confidence that with the commitment of the partners, “Jamaica can be the first nation in Latin America and the Caribbean region to achieve the goal of 70 per cent collection of plastics”.

This fuels the steps in the mission to protect the environment, create economic opportunities, and inspire a culture of sustainability across the island.

Mr Trump’s proposal follows his line of argument that climate change is not real. We, in this part of the world, ought not to subscribe to this misadventure with proven science.

The effects of climate change are evident for us, as they increasingly put pressure on the physical and financial economy.

We, in this space, trust that Minister Samuda and the entire Government will not be distracted by policy changes elsewhere and march forward with the phased approach to plastic-use reduction.

Last year we implemented the fourth phase of the ban on single-use plastics, prohibiting the importation, distribution, sale, or use of any single-use plastic food containers made wholly or in part of polyethylene, polypropylene, or polylactic acid.

On July 1, 2025 the ban will extend to personal care and cosmetic products containing intentionally added plastic microbeads or microplastics.

Unequivocally, the change-out of plastic products, particularly paper straws, has been a social nuisance, but in the interest of a safer Jamaica, and safer world, it ought to be a pain in the neck that we endure. The gains made thus far should not come to naught.