Savings expected: Humphrey

With the ban on single-use plastics, Barbados is expected to save millions of dollars currently being spent on importing these products.

So says Minister of Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy, Kirk Humphrey. He was speaking during the debate on the Control of Disposable Plastics Bill in the Lower House yesterday morning.

“The global amount of plastic bags for packaging used is 78 million tonnes, some say it is more, $198 billion a year industry; of that, less than five per cent [is] recycled. So you’re talking about 188 billion of it that ends up in the ocean, the landfill [and] the gutters; Sir, it is a serious, serious problem. And we calculate that in Barbados, Sir, single plastics in packaging are about a $5 million value, based on what comes into the country. And if we were able to reuse some of these plastics, we would save a significant amount of money,” the Maritime Affairs and the Blue Economy Minister stated.

With that in mind, Minister Humphrey said that while the ban on plastic bags does not come into effect until January 1, 2020, he believes that every Barbadian needs to get hold of at least two reusable shopping bags to take with them to the supermarket. Humphrey said by their calculations, based on petro-based plastic bags alone, they anticipate to save almost $6 million in the first year.

“Maybe Massy would be kind enough to join in this cause, maybe the Government, but they start out with one or two bags, so that every time they go to the supermarket, instead of having to buy the bag as is the case now for $1.99, you carry the bag that you were given. The initial cost maybe a few dollars … and you keep those bags for a year – the savings to the country would be phenomenal,” he said.

He made the point while suggesting that there is potential for Barbadians to develop “proper home-grown industries”, manufacturing organic or bio-based bags for use instead of the plastic bags. Humphrey noted that worldwide more than one trillion plastic bags are used annually, with the United States alone using 100 billion plastic bags, which he said equates to 12 million barrels of oil.

Speaking more to the ban on single-use plastics and the need to move in this direction, Humphrey quoted figures related to such imports which indicate that annually Barbados imports 150 000 pounds of single-use cups or some six million cups, some 140 000 pounds of straws and 90 million plastic bags every year, none of which he maintained are necessary. He further lamented that none of these items are being recycled and are instead ending up in the marine environment and causing harm to the marine life.

“I hope we get to the point where Barbados says this is the final straw,” he contended. (JRT)