Major changes made to anti-plastics law

Lawmakers today made three major changes to the law banning disposable plastic bags, which will see offenders playing a reduced fine of $5,000 instead of $50,000.

Outlining some of the changes to the Control of Disposable Plastics Act, Minister of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy Kirk Humphrey said that since the law’s passage Government had been working toward “voluntary compliance” since it never sought to arrest anybody but seek to have  “conversations”.

Humphrey explained: “Section 8 of the Bill looks at the offence for persons who will seek to do things that they should not do and make a false claim.

“Previously, we had asked if you were importing a plastic that we had already ban the fine was $50,000 part of our consultations with Customs they said if persons import any other item that they have already prohibited the fine is $100,000 so we have kept the fine at $100,000 consistent with the Customs Act.

“However, in the previous Act, we also had a fine of $50,000 on individuals who were using plastics.

“We have reduced in this Act the fine on individuals who use plastics from $50,000 to $5,000 a maximum of $5,000.”

Another change signals a big win for the disabled community. The Minister said the disabled will now be allowed to use petroleum-based plastic straws.

Humphrey told the House of Assembly: “The most sterling and moving comment came from a representative of the disabled community who said that they had tried all of the biodegradable alternatives. They tried reusable straws but for them, they did not work.

“I am pleased to report that we have adjusted the legislation to allow people with disabilities to continue to use petroleum-based straws so that they continue to enjoy the standard of living associated with the persons with disabilities so that they are not disadvantaged.”

The other change addresses the issue of shortage or the availability of biodegradable bags. Pointing out that COVID-19 has disrupted supply chains all over the world, Humphrey said the amendment gives the Minister certain powers to address that.

“At Section 9 – perhaps this is the biggest difference between this Act and the previous one – we have allowed the minister some discretion to allow the manufacture or import of petroleum-based plastic bags in the event that those items are not available in Barbados.

“Barbados does not produce that organic resin that natural resin that allows these things to be biodegradable and there are situations where our local manufactures cannot source that resin on the international market,” the Minister said.