The case against plastics

THE EDITOR, Sir:

Growing up, there was hardly any plastic. Supermarkets and stores would mostly sell products in paper bags. Beverages were largely sold in glass bottles, or cans. Even milk was sold in bottles. I've been reading some news articles on plastic recently in commemoration of World Environment Day and Ocean Day recognised this week, and it made me pause to think about the tremendous damage we've been doing to the environment, land, sea and air, especially in recent years.

I can't recall even as a teenager hearing about cancers. It certainly wasn't as prevalent as it is today. I am convinced the toxicities added to the environment, the pollution, toxic chemicals, plastics and their by-products, the fumes and gases must be wrecking havoc on our health. Collectively and individually, we ought to be more responsible about our environment and our own lives.

Corporations, especially, need to be more environmentally conscious. Individuals can do more to cut back on use of plastics which harm the environment. Plastic is a huge problem in the oceans, with millions of tonnes of plastics said to be ending up in our oceans each year.

We should be moving towards recycling and using biodegradable packaging with less emphasis on plastics. It is critical for us in the Caribbean to start being more responsible and take better care of our environment.

P. Chin

chin_p@yahoo.com