Local manufacturers will restart the production of biodegradable plastic bags on Tuesday, but in the meantime, supermarkets, shops, vendors and other suppliers can continue using their stock of petroleum based plastic bags until September 1, 2020.
This is according to a press release from the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy.
During April 2020, the ban on sale and use of single use petroleum-based plastic bags in Barbados was temporarily paused to allow local manufacturers to make and deliver petroleum-based bags as the biodegradable resin used in the production of allowable bags, was in short supply on the world market due to a lack of materials under the COVID-19 curfew.
Local manufacturers, who applied and were granted an extension by the Ministry, say they acquired sufficient amounts of the biodegradable resin and are in a position to restart the manufacturing by the agreed upon date of August 4.
Persons who go shopping with reusable bags are reminded to keep those bags in a hygienic condition at all times. (PR/SAT)
