The environment affects productivity

THROWING his support behind fully compostable dinnerware products ‘Vegware’, Head of the Barbados Private Sector Association, Alex McDonald, outlined that the protection of the environment was key for a healthy workforce.

Speaking to the media last week, as Bico Limited added the line to its offerings for restaurants and stores, McDonald stated that the business sector should embrace products which did not leave a harsh mark on the environment.

“When we litter, we provide breeding grounds for rodents and mosquitoes and it has an impact on our own productivity. Everybody here who has worked in the rainy season, when and if it comes in, will know that dengue, Zika, and the rest of it will be ravaging the workforce, and that is fostered by the fact of us throwing away stuff,” he said.

In addition, he said that legislation needed to come about for recycling to help reduce the large amount of waste being dumped in the landfill daily.

Adding his voice to the growing number of those calling for a ban on styrofoam products, he insisted that Barbadians had to be educated on how to change their behaviours to put an end to littering, and embrace the use of eco-friendly products, while recycling others.

Pointing out that locals simply must embrace the concept of using reusable shopping bags while at the grocery, Executive Chairman of Bico Ltd., Edwin Thirwell, insisted that this would make a significant impact on the environment, while reducing costs to businesses as some spent $1 million on an annual basis to import just plastic bags. (JMB)