PHILIPSBURG--While the law banning the use of single-use plastics, plastic straws and Styrofoam is “in place,” the Ministry of Tourism, Economic Affairs, Transport and Telecommunication (TEATT) needs to take certain steps for it to be enforced.
“The law is in place, but the enforcement of the law lies with the Ministry of TEATT,” said Prime Minister SIlveria Jacobs when asked on Wednesday, when the law will be implemented.
“So, there has to be a training that is done and information sessions to all stakeholders before it can be deemed implementable in terms of to execute, then fine. So, it requires work to be done via the Ministry of TEATT,” the Prime Minister added.
In November 2020, Parliament unanimously passed the initiative law making the use of single-use plastics, plastic straws and Styrofoam illegal in the country and punishable by a fine of NAf. 1,000 or imprisonment of six months. The law was an initiative of United Democrats (UD) Member of Parliament (MP) Sarah Wescot-Williams.
The original proposed implementation date from Parliament was July 1, 2021. However, this date had passed, without government having ratified the law and government had subsequently requested Parliament to adjust the proposed date of implementation. As a result, on June 9, 2022, MPs unanimously approved a proposal tabled by Wescot-Williams to give government the authority to determine when the ban on single-use plastics, plastic straws and Styrofoam will go into effect.
The Prime Minister explained on Wednesday that the Ministry of General Affairs is creating awareness via the launch of the plastic-free St. Maarten project through the St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF), which is executing the project.
“In starting to bring awareness, already I’ve seen that certain bigger supermarkets have already removed plastic bags. It is now for the others to use what you have and then move towards more sustainable bags or they have paper bags or whatever else, but I encourage the population of St. Maarten to already invest in reusable bags for themselves and refuse bags; as a matter of fact, that is one of the things that, individually, we can do.”
Jacobs said she will check with TEATT Minister Leo Lambriex to determine the status of the planning and preparing for the implementation of the law.
