Plastic not only does damage on dry land, but also in the sea, it damages the flora and fauna that live there, putting them at risk of extinction.
The Caribbean is the second most polluted sea with plastics in the world. Governments of different Latin American countries have joined the campaign to eradicate plastic from the sea.
Campaign
In October 2018, Belize and Guatemala became the latest countries in the region to join UN Environment’s Clean Seas campaign to drastically reduce the consumption of disposable plastics and microplastics.
Looking for a clean Caribbean
Old and bearded
In 2016 they were the first country in Latin America and the Caribbean to ban plastic bags. “We have been successful in implementing this legislation because we invited all sectors, including the private sector, to help us from the beginning in designing the ban. First we built a consensus, then we passed the law. This is the only how you can be successful”recounted Molwyn Joseph, Minister of Health and Environment of Antigua and Barbuda.
belize
Renowned for having the world’s second-longest barrier reef, it has pledged to ban single-use plastic utensils such as cutlery, bags and straws, as well as Styrofoam containers, by April 2019.
Colombia
Seeking a cleaner Caribbean, Colombia imposed a tax on plastic bags in July 2018: consumers pay one US cent (20 Colombian pesos) for each bag, an amount that will increase 50% each year. According to official sources, the measure reduced the consumption of plastic bags by 35% and has raised around US$3.6 million during its first six months of implementation.
Guatemala
They use handmade fences, made from recovered plastic waste, to collect plastic waste from rivers, allowing communities to collect, dispose of or recycle it.
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Sources:
UN