Plastic Paradise? Rethinking Waste and the Caribbean's Role in the Global Plastic Crisis


When we think of the Caribbean, we picture turquoise waters, white-sand beaches, and lush green coastlines. But increasingly, our paradise is being polluted by one of the most persistent threats to marine life and public health: plastic.

In this week’s Green Caribbean Chronicles, we take a closer look at plastic use across the Caribbean, how it's impacting our islands, and how we’re connected to the broader crisis of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch — a swirling mass of plastic waste twice the size of Texas floating in the Pacific Ocean.

🌊 The Caribbean's Plastic Problem

Across the Caribbean, single-use plastics like shopping bags, straws, Styrofoam containers, and water bottles are part of daily life. Unfortunately, many of our waste systems are ill-equipped to handle them. According to a 2019 World Bank report, the Caribbean is one of the largest plastic polluters per capita in the world.

What happens to all that waste? A significant portion ends up in our rivers, seas, and coastal communities. With limited landfill space and weak recycling infrastructure, much of this plastic is either burned, dumped, or swept into the ocean.

This is not only an environmental crisis but a health one too. Microplastics have been found in fish, drinking water, and even salt. Coastal communities that rely on fishing and tourism are facing long-term economic consequences.

🌊 The Great Pacific Garbage Patch: Our Connection to a Global Problem

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a collection of marine debris trapped by ocean currents in the North Pacific Gyre. Though far from the Caribbean, this massive plastic vortex (estimated at 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic) is part of a global pattern of marine plastic pollution that the Caribbean contributes to — and suffers from.

Through ocean currents and trade routes, plastic waste from multiple regions, including the Caribbean, can travel thousands of miles. And just as easily, our beaches receive plastic waste from other parts of the world.

This interconnectedness shows that plastic pollution is a global issue with local consequences. No island is immune.

🚩 Regional Efforts and Policy Action

Thankfully, Caribbean nations are beginning to respond. Many islands have implemented or proposed bans on single-use plastics and Styrofoam. Barbados, Antigua & Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and Jamaica are among those leading the charge.

Some promising actions include:

  • Public awareness campaigns

  • Community beach clean-ups

  • Investments in biodegradable alternatives

  • National recycling strategies

However, enforcement and public education remain major challenges.

🤝 What Can We Do?

Whether you live in the Caribbean or visit it, we all have a role to play:

  • Bring reusable bags, bottles, and containers

  • Support local brands that use sustainable packaging

  • Participate in or organize clean-up efforts

  • Hold leaders accountable for enforcing plastic bans

Every action counts. Each bottle not used, each plastic bag refused, is one step closer to a cleaner Caribbean.

🌿 Final Thoughts

The Caribbean has long been a symbol of natural beauty, but that beauty is under threat. As we continue to battle rising sea levels, stronger storms, and food insecurity, we cannot afford to ignore the plastic crisis.

The waves that wash plastic onto our shores are the same waves that connect us to the world. Let’s be part of a global movement to reduce, rethink, and refuse plastic — starting right here at home.

Attached is a short video about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to help visualize the global impact of plastic pollution.

With purpose and persistence,
Z. Charles
Founder, Green Caribbean Chronicles

https://youtu.be/cEeKerZ7iU4?si=tfDPeakXGtwiYg_j


📚 References & Sources

[1] World Bank (2019). "Marine Pollution in the Caribbean: Not a Minute to Waste." https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/482771554782127734/marine-pollution-in-the-caribbean-not-a-minute-to-waste

[2] United Nations Environment Programme (2021). "From Pollution to Solution: A Global Assessment of Marine Litter and Plastic Pollution." https://www.unep.org/resources/pollution-solution-global-assessment

[3] The Ocean Cleanup. "The Great Pacific Garbage Patch." https://theoceancleanup.com/great-pacific-garbage-patch/

[4] United Nations Development Programme Caribbean. "Plastic Waste Management in the Caribbean." https://www.bb.undp.org/content/barbados/en/home/presscenter/articles/2021/plastic-waste-management.html

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