Plastics Be Gone: Get Rid of Single Use Items or Face Court Date

It is time to rid your home of that single use plastic bag collection and a lot of items you may be using to carry food. After today, you could be fined for having more than ten single use plastic items in your home, including grocery bags. Under the Environmental Protection (Pollution on Plastic) Regulations 2020, prohibited items include disposable plastic and foam cups, plates, containers, as well as plastic forks, spoons, straws, and lids. News Five spoke with Anthony Mai, the Chief Environmental Officer at the Department of Environment who told us what Belizeans need to be aware of as phase two plastics ban begins. 

Anthony Mai

Anthony Mai, Chief Environmental Officer, Department of the Environment

“The sale of these products should cease at the end of February, February twenty eight 2022, and then lastly the possession of these products should be, so no one should be in possession as of March thirty- first 2022, which is today. What that means then is that generally speaking, through the entire country, no person should be in possession in excess of ten single products of prohibited item. So, ten single t-shirt plastic bag, ten single clamshell, etc. If people are in possession it is a violation of the law and people are liable to be charged for that offense. What we do, if we do come across an issue of violation, we develop the charge sheet. We submit the charge sheet to the magistrate court and we issue a summons for the person to appear at a certain date.”