A pile of garbage at the corner of Carmichael and Quamina Streets, Georgetown.

Even as a private company seek to recycle more paper and cardboard, authorities on Thursday announced a new raft of measures to help combat littering and improper waste disposal.

Environment Minister, Robert Persaud said regulations of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are being revised to appoint litter wardens.

“I’m putting persons on notice- for the individual level, we will have wardens who can issue you with a ticket and failure to do so can have yourself before the court,” he told an event co-hosted with Caribbean Containers Inc. and the University of Guyana.

He admitted that the enforcement of existing laws and regulations is very poor.

CCI talked about its paper recycling plans and the University of Guyana about its waste recycling and waste disposal containers.

Persaud said no one including businesses and government agencies and department would escape the anti-litter dragnet. ““No one is exempted so we are developing that system to toughen up enforcement,” he said. The judiciary, he said, is to be consulted on the setting up of an Environmental Court to help tackle the garbage scourge.

He said government was examining various options to restrict the use of plastic containers by beverage giants Banks DIH and Demerara Distillers Limited. Talks are also being held with investors to find suitable replacements for Styrofoam and plastic bottles.

The Environment Minister welcomed CCI’s expansion of its waste recycling operations including a plan to establish a drop-off point in Georgetown for paper and cardboard.

Currently, CCI imports some used cardboard from Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname but, according to Webster, intends to take more of its supplies from the local market.

CCI nets about 120 tons of cardboard locally and Webster projects that they can pull in up to about 400 tons.