Equitable system to manage waste being explored
Fri, 05/13/2016 - 12:00am
Government is exploring various ideas to deal with waste management in this country, even what Minister of Environment and Drainage, Dr. Denis Lowe describes as a “Polluter pays principle fee”.
Speaking to the media on Wednesday, he said this initiative developed by Permanent Secretary Edson Alleyne, is really a partnership between the people and the State as it relates to the management of garbage. Dr. Lowe explained that Alleyne used his background in finance to come up with an equitable system to address the challenges of waste management.
“What that means is that everyone who creates garbage should be made to pay for its disposal and management. It is the fairest way to approach it and what that will do is remove the exclusive burden of a tipping fee from waste haulers to ensure that everyone who creates garbage pays,” he said during the press conference at his Warrens office.
The environment minister said the policy has been sent to the Ministry of Finance for review and once it is returned to his Ministry, it will make its way to Cabinet for approval. Thereafter, he said there will be public consultation on the matter to seek the buy-in of Barbadians.
“It is perhaps one of the most forward looking policies that the country has ever tackled in terms of this waste challenge in this society,” he said.
His comments came as he said that the days of plastics in this country are also numbered, as serious consideration is being given to putting a complete ban on plastics in the waste stream. Lowe noted that there are countries which have successfully done this, and he is confident that Barbados will follow suit. He made it clear however that this will not be done without consultation with those involved in the production of plastics locally.
“...Before the Ministry takes any substantive forward step on it, we have to have consultations with all the players in the plastic business. We are going to invite them in to have a consultation, about what they see as the most ready solution to plastics in the waste stream; they will help us decide what the policy will be. It is not the strong arm of government coming down and saying as of the 21st of never don’t put anymore plastic bags in your store,” he explained. (JRT)