The Trinidad and Tobago Eco-Divers Club, the only local community to conduct underwater clean up exercises, received a significant contribution of eighty thousand dollar (TT$80,000) from Massy Stores Trinidad on March 15th, 2019.

The contribution will be used to acquire airlift bags to remove underwater waste as well as marker buoys and diving equipment to support the club in their clean-up efforts, at the start of the turtle nesting season.

“The turtle population, particularly those who nest along our north west coastlines suffer tremendously as a result of plastic pollution. Hawksbill turtles in particular get disoriented and die in a sea of plastic when they come ashore. Juveniles especially become trapped or injured by plastic and other items. Overall, the marine life in that area of Trinidad and Tobago is under serious threat. At the very least, Massy’s donation will help us to remove waste and hopefully safeguard the turtle population in the area,” commented Shari Wellington-Griffith, Chairman, Trinidad and Tobago Eco-Divers Club.

“The airlift bags will help us to bring underwater waste, such as plastic waste lodged between rocks, to the surface more efficiently so that we can remove it from the marine environment,” she added.

This partnership is the first of many partnerships to come, following Massy Stores’ decision in 2018 to reduce the impact of plastic waste by implementing a charge for single-use plastic bags.

Thomas Pantin, Executive Chairman, Massy’s Retail Line of Business said “we made a commitment last year to our customers that the proceeds from the sale of plastic bags would be donated to support environmental sustainability. Our philosophy, which will guide how we select groups and projects to support, is to empower communities, such as the community of divers of the T&T Eco Divers Club, in their efforts to remove plastic waste from the environment.”

Since the implementation of the charge for plastic bags, Massy Stores Trinidad has experienced a 90% reduction in single-use bags circulated from our stores, nationwide.

“The turtle population, particularly those who nest along our north west coastlines suffer tremendously as a result of plastic pollution. Hawksbill turtles in particular get disoriented and die in a sea of plastic when they come ashore. Juveniles especially become trapped or injured by plastic and other items. Overall, the marine life in that area of Trinidad and Tobago is under serious threat. At the very least, Massy’s donation will help us to remove waste and hopefully safeguard the turtle population in the area,” commented Shari Wellington-Griffith, Chairman, Trinidad and Tobago Eco-Divers Club.