 The world faces another crisis. This one, tackling plastic pollution. The average life cycle of a plastic water bottle is 450 years. This floating graveyard is going nowhere. Countries around the world have made pledges to reduce the manufacturing and production of single-use plastics that have been detrimental to our environment. Most countries would also look into the manufacturing or distribution of alternatives to plastics, and also in some instances completely eliminate plastic in the environment. A report published on the circular economy in 2016 indicates that each year, at least 8 million tons of plastics leak into the ocean, which is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken by 2050, there will be more plastics in the ocean than fish. Saint Lucia is acting. Saint Lucia has signed on to a number of international and regional agendas and protocols that will assist us in reducing our dependence on single-use plastics. We have also signed on to the Transforming Our World Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, which has 17 Sustainable Development Goals. One of the Sustainable Development Goals that we need to note is SDG 12, which looks at responsible consumption and production. And Saint Lucia has enacted the Styrofoam and Plastic Food Service Containers Prohibition Act as our first of August 2019. Within this Act, we have banned the importation of all Styrofoam food service containers and selected single-use plastic. The Consumer Affairs Department is raising the awareness of plastic pollution and encouraging consumers to adopt more sustainable practices. As the Government Agency with Responsibility for Consumer Protection, we wish to highlight the need for consumers to be responsible in the use of plastics, particularly single-use plastics. We have seen a gradual move to the use of plastics in a myriad of products. Of great concern is the use and disposal of single-use plastics, such as plastic bottles, bags, and cutlery. They have been clogging our roadsides, our rivers, and defacing our beaches whenever we have heavy rains. If we want to ensure that our environment is healthy and safe for ourselves, our children, and our generations to come, we need to change our disposal habits. We need to move away from throwing our waste all around us and be responsible consumers. The Ministry of Commerce, the Department of Sustainable Development, the St. Lucia Solid Waste Management Authority, and other agencies are partnering to promote World Consumer Rights Day on March 15 under the theme Tackling Plastic Pollution. Marvin St. Louis reporting from the Ministry of Commerce.