Lift Trailers for Santa Familia to Address Plastic Pollution

Despite a ban and subsequent phase out of single-use plastics and Styrofoam, plastic pollution still remains an issue for the Department of Environment. With a goal to improve solid waste management, today the D.O.E., which falls under the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, handed over lift trailers to Santa Familia Village. The timely donation is also being done as the country celebrates World Environment Day.

Orlando Habet

Orlando Habet, Sustainable Development, Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management

“We see that there are hotspots where garbage is thrown away and then it accumulates and one person does it so the next one does it and then sometimes it is companies and big businesses that do it. Many times, especially in the small communities, the problem is not that people don’t want to get rid of the garbage, but they don’t have the mechanism, they don’t have how to get rid of it. After they bag it off and they put it outside, it doesn’t go anywhere because there isn’t a collection system and so that becomes part of the problem and those are some of the things that we need to address.”

Joyce Tun

Joyce Tun, Chairlady for Santa Familia, Cayo

“Solid waste management is a major challenge. It is a global challenge and we all know it. It is something that each and every one of us is responsible for. As the minister rightly said, it is our responsibility, our garbage is our responsibility, but as village leaders we also have a responsibility. And it is to control and manage the solid waste. As villagers, we have some delinquents, but mostly we have been very supportive in the control of the garbage. It is a bit by bit that we will be able to control this garbage problem that we have. As parents, we need to also ensure that we teach our children how to dispose of our garbage and I believe that some of us have been very delinquent in that regard as well. I encourage all parents, I encourage every Belizean to put in their fair share as well in control of garbage of plastic pollution as well.”