As World Environment Day 2025 was observed on June 5th worldwide, the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) is urging the region’s citizens, governments, and private sector to adopt more sustainable practices in the fight against plastic pollution. With the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution,” CARPHA’s urgent appeal draws attention to the growing environmental and public health risks posed by plastic waste, an issue particularly severe in small island developing states like Belize.
According to CARPHA, the Caribbean region generates over 320,000 tons of uncollected plastic waste annually, nearly four times the global average. The packaging sector, responsible for 36% of all plastics produced, is cited as the largest contributor to single-use plastic waste. An estimated 85% of food and beverage containers end up in landfills or pollute oceans, soils, and fragile ecosystems.
“While plastics are useful and essential for some sectors, their mismanagement has become a public health and environmental issue,” said Dr. Lisa Indar, Executive Director of CARPHA. “Pathways allow microplastics and toxic chemicals from plastics to crossover into our food chain, affecting seafood with consequences to our health. CARPHA recommends multisector action as plastic pollution crosscuts many sectors, together, we can protect our health, our environment, and our future.”
Shane Kirton, Officer in Charge of CARPHA’s Environmental Health and Sustainable Development Department, emphasized the need for green financing and international collaboration. “The region can benefit from access to green financing that ensures a transition away from high levels of plastic dependence. Additionally, global partnerships must be leveraged, and scalable solutions developed, implemented, and appropriately evaluated,” he said.
CARPHA commended several Caribbean nations, including Belize, for enacting bans on single-use plastics and Styrofoam. It also highlighted the CARICOM “Clean Seas Caribbean” strategy, launched in 2021, and the region’s active involvement in the ongoing UN negotiations for a Global Plastic Pollution Treaty as key steps toward global environmental stewardship.
Belize and San Pedro Respond Locally
Responding to these regional calls, Belize continues to enforce its national ban on single-use plastics, first introduced to reduce pollution in landfills and marine environments. Led by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Climate Change, and Disaster Risk Management, the policy is bolstered by ongoing public education and monitoring, particularly in tourism centers like San Pedro.
On the island, the San Pedro Town Council, in partnership with environmental NGOs, continuously conducts community clean-up drives and school-based workshops. The campaigns promote proper waste disposal and the use of eco-friendly alternatives.
Meanwhile, organizations like Humana People to People Belize (HPPBZ) have expanded outreach through the “Full Circle Belize” initiative. Over the past two months, new plastic collection bins have been installed, students have been engaged through biodiversity programs, and more than two tons of plastic waste have been recovered.
San Pedro schools are also participating in the Belize Fund’s 2025 Recycling Challenge, where students and community groups showcase creative recycling and upcycling practices in short video submissions. These efforts are complemented by the nationwide TrashBlitz campaign, supported by Break Free from Plastic, which has trained over 320 volunteers to conduct plastic waste audits and analyze pollution data.
Although infrastructure challenges persist, Belize and San Pedro are actively working on meaningful solutions to plastic pollution. These actions reflect CARPHA’s call for urgent and coordinated efforts to safeguard human health and preserve the Caribbean’s unique and vulnerable ecosystems.
As the region prepares for deeper involvement in the UN Global Plastic Pollution Treaty, CARPHA’s leadership emphasizes the importance of public engagement, investment in sustainable systems, and a firm commitment to political will to transition toward a plastic-smart future.
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