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Alternative for Styrofoam, plastic containers available by October
Guyana now has a line of eco-friendly packaging or table ware alternative for Styrofoam and plastic receptacles.
Caribbean Container Inc. (CCI) will be releasing this green line on the market this October.
President Donald Ramotar (right) and CCI’s Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Webster look at the eco-friendly container.
At the launching of “Eco Pak” Saturday evening, CCI’s Chief Operating Officer, Patricia Bacchus said that the product was developed because of the dire need for an alternative for styrofoam and plastic receptacles, coupled with Government’s intention to impose an environmental levy.
Ms. Bacchus said that feedback from the business community, particularly from those in the restaurant and hotel industries, led them to be confident about the product’s success.
She related that “Eco Pak” is made from sugar cane fibre, rather than from wood pulp.
Explaining why sugar cane was used, Bacchus said sugar cane crop regenerates much quicker and is less resource intensive.
She stated that the product is 100 percent biodegradable and after use decomposition takes 90 days.
According to CCI’s Chief Executive Officer, Ronald Webster, “We are operating in partnership with overseas manufacturers and what we are doing at this point is to determine what the market needs. Those are exceedingly expensive so once we get the market data available and set out we will be putting in our own plant to produce this material.”
Demonstrating government’s support for this initiative and similar ventures in the future, President Donald Ramotar said Government is ready to give tax free concession to anyone who wants to setup recycling plants for plastics.
Ramotar related that at the recent Building Exposition, great possibilities of using materials seen as nuisance value on the streets were displayed.
According to Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Robert Persaud, CCI was one of the first companies to step forward with initiatives to support Government’s drive to ensure that we have better environments.
He emphasized that the main contributing elements to the garbage situation in the country is what consumers use. Government is supportive of this venture because there is no functioning scheme to incentivize plastic receptacle collection and in some countries styrofoam is banned.
Persaud related that Government is looking in the direction of encouraging companies to setup recycling plants and devise ways to phase out the use of Styrofoam. Government will be introducing stamp duty as well as an environmental levy on Styrofoam.
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