St Vincent and the Grenadines has joined the list of Caribbean countries to ban single-use plastic bags and food containers.

The ban will start taking effect next year when it will become illegal to distribute, sell or use the products.
The importation of single-use bags will cease on March 1 and single-use food containers on August 1. The distribution, sale, use and disposal of bags will end on August 1 also, with the deadline for disposable food containers being January 1, 2021.

Minister of Health Senator Luke Browne announced the ban in St Vincent and the Grenadines Parliament and it comes two years after a styrofoam ban.

Other Caribbean countries that have banned single-use plastic bags and food containers are Jamaica, Barbados, Dominica and Turks and Caicos.