CAPRI cites possible plastic fatigue in report on ban

The Caribbean Policy Research Institute, CAPRI, has called for more robust systems to support Jamaica’s single-use plastics ban, arguing that enforcement remains weak and data limited — a challenge also faced by others in the Caribbean.

“So across the region, we’re seeing a pattern where the bans work best in major supermarkets, but less so in the informal sector,” said CAPRI lead researcher Dominique Augustine at a forum in Kingston last week. “We see that there is inconsistent enforcement,” he said.

Some 16 nations across the region have implemented bans, to varying degrees of success. CAPRI recommends strengthening enforcement capacity at ports and inland checkpoints, expanding customs inspections, and implementing regular spot checks across both retail and informal markets.

Data compiled by the think tank suggests initial compliance followed by “possible enforcement fatigue”. There have been 52 prosecutions since 2019, with 37 of them in the first year alone, with the remainder occurring up to the end of 2024, Augustine noted. Also, plastic bag litter dropped from 13 per cent in 2018 to 6.0 per cent in 2021, but rose again to nearly 9.0 per cent in 2022.

Still, Jamaica’s ban is among the most structured in the region, rolled out in four phases from 2019 to July 2025. It also carries some of the region’s steepest penalties — up to $5 million for individuals, $10 million for companies, and five years’ imprisonment.

“Jamaica’s policy strength lies in its design,” Augustine said.

United Nations trade data shows that Jamaica imported US$8.25 million worth of ethylene polymers — a key input for plastics — in 2024, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 6.0 per cent since 2020. The increase may signal rising imports of garbage bags, potentially offsetting consumer reuse of supermarket plastic bags following the ban.

The National Environment & Planning Agency, NEPA, acknowledged challenges in evaluating the ban’s impact, citing the absence of a robust methodology.

“We still have bags in some informal areas, like downtown Kingston, but we’ve achieved 90 per cent success with respect to the plastic bags,” said Anthony McKenzie, NEPA’s director of environmental management and conservation.

The ban specifically targets bags sized 24x24 inches. Smaller or differently sized bags are not covered, and certain exceptions remain in place.

McKenzie said plastic bag compliance has proven more difficult than the styrofoam ban, which involved a single local manufacturer.

steven.jackson@gleanerjm.com