BUSINESS MEN CHARGED FOR BREACHING PLASTIC BAN

12 Western Jamaica Businesses Fined For Breaching Plastic Ban

National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) is reporting that 12 businesses in Western Jamaica were today convicted for breaches of the ban on single-use plastics in the St James and Trelawny parish courts.

NEPA says the establishments, which included, restaurants, grocery and clothing stores, were fined sums ranging from $10,000 – $20,000 or a term of one-year imprisonment at hard labour.

The agency says 22 matters were heard by the parish courts in relation to breaches pursuant to the Natural Resources Conservation Authority (Plastic Packaging Materials Prohibition Order, specifically single-use bags and straws.

Of the 22 entities, 12 entered guilty pleas and were convicted.

The 10 other entities entered not-guilty pleas and those matters will be heard on April 16.

NEPA’s attorney, Philip Cross, who prosecuted the matters, noted that Jamaica has moved into the second phase of its ban on single-use plastics with the prohibition of expanded polystyrene foam food and beverage containers.

“Sadly, some businesses still do not believe that they can survive without using scandal bags and plastic straws, which were banned since January 1, 2019. Regardless, the agency and its partners at the Bureau of Standards Jamaica, the Jamaica Customs Agency and the Jamaica Constabulary Force stand ready to take enforcement action when necessary,” he said.

NEPA says the ongoing drive is as a result of a comprehensive enforcement and compliance strategy and that failure to comply with the ban may result in criminal charges.

The public is reminded that it is an offence to import, manufacture, distribute or use single-use plastic bags of dimensions not exceeding 24×24 inches and 1.2 mils in thickness; and plastic drinking straws.

The importation, manufacture, distribution and use of expanded polystyrene foam products used in the food and beverage industry is also prohibited.