Consultation to ban plastic bottles taken to Essequibo

Officers of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently held their first consultation on the banning of “Single Use Plastic” in Region Two, Pomeroon/Supenaam, at the Regional Board Room at Anna Regina.
Following a presentation by Candacie Brower-Thompson, Senior Environmental Officer of EPA, and viewing the effects caused by dumping plastic in the environment, residents were satisfied with the presentation and gave their full support in favour of the ban.
Odessa Duncan, another Senior Environmental Officer of the agency, in her presentation, stated that plastic is very dangerous to the environment, and especially to marine life.
Plastic is not biodegradable, and remains in the environment for as long as between thirty-five and forty years.
The results of a survey done in Georgetown showed that an average of 7000 tons of plastic products are dumped yearly.
President of the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, Suean Seunarayan, has advised that the EPA should work along with the Education Ministry to introduce environmental teaching programmes in schools, especially at the secondary level.
Wilfred Jagnarine, proprietor of Lake Mainstay Resort, was in agreement with enforcement of the ban. He said it should be done as soon as possible, and not wait for another three years.
He noted that littering has become a norm, and revealed that the shoulders of the main access road to the resort are inundated with garbage, which he deems an eyesore to tourists visiting his resort.
Residents are calling for a full time EPA office to be set up in Region Two, so as to deal with the many environmental issues facing the people on a daily basis.
They also objected to the location for the prosed garbage site, claiming that it would be unhealthy for farmers in the area.
Those in attendance were representatives of the Public Health Ministry, Education Ministry, Guyana Police Force, farmers, Anna Regina Town Council, executives of the Tourism Ministry, officials from the Essequibo Chamber of Commerce, and businessmen and women, among others.