World Environment Day: Simple choices can make an impact to beat plastic pollution – Pres Ali

…PM hints existing anti-pollution laws will be enforced

As Guyana joined the world on Monday in observance of Environment Day, President Dr Irfaan Ali had a strong message on the individual responsibility to eliminate plastic pollution.
The Head of State called for Guyanese to be more responsible in the disposal of plastic waste in his message, as World Environment Day 2023 was held under the theme “#BeatPlasticPollution, Ecosystem Restoration”.

“On this World Environment Day, I urge all Guyanese to act more responsibly in the manner in which they dispose of plastic waste. We all have a duty to keep our environment clean and safe. By acting responsibly, we can end plastic pollution.”
He added that each person can contribute by making informed, ethical and responsible choices including reducing plastic usage, especially that of single-use plastics; promoting greater recycling; ensuring proper waste disposal; and ending littering.
“Over the past year, I have personally led efforts to enhance our physical environment through national clean-up exercises. These non-partisan activities are intended to promote greater environmental health and sustainability. I encourage all Guyanese to come out and support these efforts. Simple choices, at the individual level, can have an immense impact,” President Ali shared.
On Sunday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hosted its Green Walk, which saw several contingents lobbying against plastic pollution.

It culminated at the National Park, where Prime Minister Mark Phillips delivered his feature address and vented at the scourge of widespread littering locally.
“Plastic pollution remains a major obstacle in global efforts to preserve and protect the planet and its people. I have been involved in national clean up exercises around the country, including along the city foreshores and I am appalled at the amount of garbage in our city, which is a product of indiscriminate littering.”
“We have a monumental pollution problem in Guyana and plastic is a major culprit. We have been forewarned by the United Nations Environment Programme that the world is heading for an environmental apocalypse and here again, plastic is a major culprit. UNEP estimates that plastic constitutes about 85 per cent of all marine litter and much of this wash back to land,” the Prime Minister added.
Further, Phillips zeroed in that plastic not only affects marine life, but it also creates blockages in drainage systems, leading to bigger problems. “It is time for us to act, and act decisively. The theme of this year’s World Environmental Day is a summon to not only find solutions but to implement those solutions. We have to begin by accepting that plastic pollution is a fundamentally moral problem.”
It was announced that Government is working to bring a serious push that aims at eradicating plastic pollution – a campaign that will commence with public education. He emphasised the importance of protecting the environment by curtailing the use of single-use plastics, which the Government intends to pursue aggressively following widespread public consultations, strengthened regulations, and public awareness.
“Our Government is going to make a serious point to eradicate plastic pollution…We have to also take action to enforce our existing anti-pollution laws. I intend to ask the Environmental Protection Agency and our local authorities to step up to intercept and arrest pollutants and place them before the court. Pollution, including plastic pollution, has consequences. We also must strengthen regulation.” (G-12)