The Dominican government has said it will ban the use of Styrofoam and certain plastic items from January 1 next year.
The ban will include plastic straws, plastic plates, plastic forks, plastic knives as well as Styrofoam cups and containers.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit said legislation to enforce the ban will soon be prepared.
He said the issue of solid waste management affects the perception of Dominica as the 'Nature Island' and his government continues to grapple with the problem.
Meanwhile, the Bahamian Government has also embarked on a programme to ban the use of plastics and Styrofoam.
In an effort to make the public aware of the planned policy, the first in a series of town hall meetings on the ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam was held earlier this week.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis underscored the importance of banning the use of the items.
He said the aim is to also simultaneously address marine pollution and waste management and ban single-use plastics, such as shopping bags, straws and Styrofoam food containers by 2020.
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