As of February 1, 2019, Sandals Resorts International (SRI) will eliminate all Styrofoam from 19 Sandals and Beaches Resorts across seven major Caribbean islands – from Jamaica and the Bahamas to Grenada and Turks & Caicos – in a continued effort to protect the environment.

“As we enter the New Year, it’s incredibly important to our Sandals family that environmental sustainability remains a key priority,” said Adam Stewart, Deputy Chairman of Sandals Resorts International. “After eliminating plastic straws, stirrers, laundry bags and gift shop bags last year, we’re choosing to eliminate Styrofoam from our resorts. We’re proud that many of the islands in which we operate are also making this shift to ensure that future generations can enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean.”

The elimination of Styrofoam is particularly important in the Caribbean region, where marine wildlife across the more than 700 islands and coastlines is abundant. According to Environment America’s Wildlife Over Waste campaign, scientists have found plastic fragments including Styrofoam in 86 percent of all sea turtle species, 44 percent of all seabird species and 43 percent of all marine mammal species.

The Sandals Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, continues to amplify efforts to reduce pollution in the Caribbean and educate communities on the dangers pollution poses to the environment, health and tourism.

“Eliminating Styrofoam is yet another way we’re reducing our environmental footprint and improving the health of our Caribbean communities,” said Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation. “Education is critical, and that’s where the Sandals Foundation comes in. We want to keep our islands clean and beautiful for citizens, visitors and marine wildlife alike.”

All Sandals and Beaches Resorts are certified by the EarthCheck benchmarking and certification program, with nine resorts currently holding Master Certification. The company is the only hotel chain in the world to have all of its resorts certified.

In the coming year, Sandals Resorts International will also explore opportunities to eliminate other plastic across its resorts by September 2019.