A message from Hon. Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks on World Environment Day

World Environment Day is a time for countries around the world — including ours — to raise awareness of the most urgent environmental challenges of our time. This year, the spotlight is on plastic pollution— a growing problem that we, in the Cayman Islands, are not immune to.

Every day, the same amount of plastic waste as 2,000 garbage trucks is dumped into the world’s rivers, lakes, and oceans. Much of it breaks down into tiny pieces — microplastics — which scientists are now finding in fish, in drinking water, and even in blood, breast milk and bone marrow.

Challenges in Cayman

Here at home, the statistics are sobering. The average person in Cayman generates about 11 pounds of waste each day — more than five times the global average. And the more waste we create, the more strain we put on our environment, our infrastructure, and our health.

Plastic pollution doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It leads to social, economic and health risks which also need to be assessed alongside environmental stressors.

While I recognise that the Government, private sector and individuals have made efforts to minimise single-use plastics and reduce the amount of plastic in our landfill, there’s still so much more we can do – more that we must do.

World Environment Day provides us with the opportunity to draw attention to the challenges we face at home, and invites us to have a conversation around solutions.

The environment, sustainability and health are inextricably connected. Our physical and mental health and wellbeing are affected by our environment – one cannot thrive without the other.

Sustainability can no longer be viewed in isolation, rather sustainable practices and policies must saturate every sector if we are to truly make a difference.

Priorities

Today, June 5, also marks 30 days since this Cabinet was sworn in. From day one, the National Coalition For Caymanians has promised to deliver a stable and effective government, taking action on the issues that our people care about the most.

One of the top priorities for this Ministry, and the wider government, is waste management - particularly the George Town landfill.

Today, my team and I visited the George Town Landfill site – it is perhaps our most pressing and visible environmental challenge and a matter of national importance.

I am committed to delivering a strategic plan for waste that benefits our country for generations to come.

As the population of our islands grows and we welcome more tourists from all over the world, the need for an effective and financially sustainable waste system is more urgent than ever.

I make it my pledge, as Minister for Health, Environment and Sustainability to ensure that we prioritise a solution that offers effective and affordable waste management in the Cayman Islands.

In these first 30 days, I’ve met with our dedicated senior civil servants, and our world-class researchers and policy advisors. We are working earnestly to map out the Ministry’s strategic priorities and I look forward to sharing more details on this with you soon.

We are so blessed to call these beautiful islands home. Our culture, our traditions, our identity are rooted in our environment. From the silver thatch palm to the banana orchid, from the ironshore to the open sea, Caymanians have always been resourceful, resilient and have a deep connection to the land and water. It’s part of who we are.

One of the best ways we can honour that connection today is by rethinking how we use plastic. Just like our forebears, we can make the most out of what we have—by reducing, reusing, and recycling, instead of throwing things away.

I will be working internally with my teams, both at the Ministry and within our departments, to introduce and adhere to more sustainable practices in our day-to-day work, and to do what you have been asking of us: lead by example.

As Minister for Health, Environment and Sustainability, I am committed to driving holistic and relevant policies that reduce the impact of plastic on our land and waters, and setting strategic goals that will move our country forward on its journey towards a more sustainable and resilient future.

I truly believe that Cayman can be a leader in this space. A place where innovation, sustainability, and community come together. A country where everyone—regardless of background or means—can enjoy a clean, healthy and thriving environment.

But to get there, we have to do the work. Together.

Today, on World Environment Day, I invite you to have an honest look at the amount of waste your home is producing. I challenge you, to take small steps by reducing your household garbage disposal, by one bag per week. This small step, will give our landfill more capacity, which then provides the Government with time to properly plan for a robust waste management system.