The Plastic Free July Project which was spearheaded by the Sustainable Destination Council in the month of July, to educate residents of St. Kitts and Nevis to engage in less use of plastic items is endorsed by the Solid Waste Management Corporation (SWMC). Representatives of the Council and the St. Kitts Ministry of Tourism were guests on a recent edition of the SWMC’s radio show “Talking Trash” aired on WINN FM to talk about the project. Sarah Ramirez the Sustainable Destination Council explained that the project is designed to encourage persons to avoid single use of plastic items such as plastic bags, straws, plastic bottles etc. and look at reusing or recycling. “Plastic Free July is a global campaign which St. Kitts and Nevis has been participating for the second year…we are trying to get persons within the Federation to focus on the usage of single use plastic,” Ramirez said. These items include plastic shopping bags and plastic straws which are used once and disposed etc. “We are really trying to get persons to focus on how much single-use plastic they are using and try to develop plastic free habits, such as carrying your reusable shopping bag whenever you go the grocery store and practice drinking without a straw,” Ramirez explained. One of the initiatives the Council and the Ministry of Tourism did this month as part of the campaign was introduce stainless steel reusable cups with lids to replace the use of plastic cups and reusable shopping bags. “You can reuse it instead of using a plastic cup,” Ramirez said. As for the bags, she said these can be folded to a very small size so it is easier for persons to remember to travel with it to the supermarket. “We are asking for an $EC10 donation for the bag and $EC15 for the reusable cup and this donation goes the Heart of St. Kitts Foundation, where money is going back into community projects on St. Kitts” she said.

Diannille Williams, the Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism, who was also on the show said this year Nevis has been involved in the project for the first time. She explained that they have been engaging the public through showing the film that details the negative effects of plastic to the marine environment. “It’s screened every Wednesday and Saturday morning at the National Trust at the Museum in the Old Treasury Building. On Wednesdays it is shown at 10am and on Saturdays it is at 11:15am,” she said. Persons interested in showing the film can also do so upon request. “We are available to come in and show the film…you can always call the Ministry of Tourism to get more information or for an opportunity for it to be shown to your group. You can also send us an email at plasticfreeskn@gmail.com,” Williams said.

Meanwhile, Operations Manager of the SWMC Keithly Phillip in endorsing the initiatives of the Plastic Free project said: “As part of the Solid Waste Act and mandate, we are determined to work with stakeholder groups to generate new thoughts and new ideas on waste reduction.”