Key stakeholder Yibutse backs govt plastic ban
MBABANE – Government’s total ban on single-use plastic carry-bags is a welcome, yet long overdue step in the right direction, says Yibutse Green Action.
Musa Ndlangamandla, the Executive Director of Yibutse, a non-profit organisation that encourages youth participation in the climate change response and environmental stewardship, said government took a bold and laudable move.
“This bold, brave and laudable move by government is in step with leading countries of the world,” Ndlangamandla said.
He explained: “It puts Eswatini on the pedestal to achieve great strides in the fight against plastic pollution.”
The executive director applauded Jane Simelane, the Minister of Tourism and Environment Affairs, for this bold, future-focused decision.
The first move to ban single-use plastics was taken by the former Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Moses Vilakati.
“As Yibutse Green Action we strongly support this move and hope that the whole country will join us in applauding this future-conscious decision,” said Ndlangamandla.
He also praised the Eswatini Environmental Authority (EEA) for the work it has done in the background, its hard work and sacrifices that have ensured that after so many years, a total ban on single-use plastic carry-bags.
PRAISED
He also praised the champions of the environment spread all over the country and around the world who have been directly and indirectly lobbying government for this landmark decision.
“We are aware that some people fear that this will cause problems, including job losses,” he said.
Ndlangamandla mentioned that Yibutse Green Action believed that more good than bad would come out from this bold move by the government. He said it opened the window for manufacturers, innovators, entrepreneurs and businesses to come up with more environmentally friendly options to single-use plastic and encourage the use of alternative materials.
The executive director is confident that new industries, fresh opportunities and success stories would be born from this great initiative.
He said Yibutse Green Action hoped that the great decision by government would be accompanied by effective law enforcement, and awareness creation activities.
“We should adopt the ‘carrot and stick’ approach to this matter,” Ndlangamandla said.
He explained that government and stakeholders should create awareness and also urge emaSwati to comply with the new legislation, and protect the environment.
“That should go hand in hand with enforcing the law and dealing effectively with those who will ignore the ban on single-use plastic carry bags. The latter will ensure that would-be offenders are discouraged from breaking the law,” he said.
THE RWANDA CASE STUDY
Ndlangamandla added that through the bold decision of a total ban on single-use plastic carrier bags, the Kingdom of Eswatini was basically joining countries like Rwanda and Norway.
He said these countries were already reaping the fruits of cleanliness, winning the fight against plastic pollution, thus ensuring an improved quality of life for citizens.
The Yibutse executive director said Rwanda issued such a ban in 2008, and ‘it is presently one of the cleanest countries in the world, and is highly respected’.
In Rwanda, he noted that the ban was supported from the highest office and the spirit has since cascaded to all levels of society. He pointed out that the citizens were committed to maintaining cleanliness, reducing pollution and delivering plastic alternatives, thus ensuring success of the long term goal to be the best among the community of nations.
Ndlangamandla has observed that ‘Eswatini is also on the road to achieve such success’.
In supporting the total ban, he mentioned the following as some of the ways single-use plastic bags hurt consumers’ pockets and the environment:
● Plastic bags end up in the streets, drainage systems, waterways, and the landfills, where they are either buried or burned. This is very expensive for the communities and municipalities.
● Several millions of Emalangeni, which would otherwise be invested on necessary public infrastructure and service delivery is diverted to dealing with waste, particularly single-use plastic bags.
● Plastic bags pollute our rivers, wetlands, grazing fields and recreational facilities. They are consumed by livestock such as cattle, causing sickness and death.
● Plastic particles have also made their way to our food and food sources, causing sickness and disease to human beings.
● Plastic bags are not free. Retailers pay for the bags, and they pass that cost on to consumers. The plastic bag industry generates billions of Emalangeni, and does very little to mitigate the untold damage that their products cause to human life, animal life and the environment.
● Plastic bags are created from non-renewable resources and take hundreds of years to decompose.
Gcina Dladla, the Chief Executive Officer of the Eswatini Environmental Authority (EEA), said between now and December 1, 2024, would be a period in which retailers and manufacturers should adjust and align, prepare and work on alternatives. He said it was important for them to make those necessary adjustments.
Minister Jane Simelane, in a statement issued this week, said: “His Majesty’s Government today announces a total ban on all single-use plastic carrier bags. This measure effective December 1, 2024 from the issuance of a government gazette, marks a significant step towards eliminating plastic pollution and safeguarding our planet for future generations, including positioning of the Kingdom of Eswatini as a tourist destination of choice in Southern Africa.”
The minister said the period between now and November 2024 would allow the manufacturers to bring in new innovations as they evolved to environmentally friendly practices.
She said single-use plastic bags had long been a symbol of environmental harm in the country, clogging waterways, endangering livestock and contributing to the global plastic crisis.
Simelane pointed out that global research has confirmed that micro plastics were one of the leading causes of some of the emerging health risks such as carcinogenicity and endocrine disruption in humans.
“Recognising the urgent need for action, government has undertaken comprehensive deliberations and consultations with stakeholders to inform this decisive policy action,” she said.
Under the terms of the ban, the minister said all retailers, supermarkets, manufacturers and vendors would be prohibited from selling or providing for free single-use plastic shopping bags to customers. She said this encompassed bags from traditional plastic materials, polyethylene and polypropylene, regardless of thickness. The minister urged consumers to embrace reusable alternatives such as cloth bags, paper bags or durable tote bags.
COMPLIANCE
To ensure a smooth transition and widespread compliance, the minister said government would engage in public awareness campaigns, provide support to businesses for transitioning to eco-friendly alternatives, including encouraging research and development on locally produced non-plastic alternatives.
“This ban aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship and underscores our responsibility to adopt sustainable practices in every facet of society for a low carbon economy,” the minister said.
The minister issued the ban in line with her powers conferred under Section 83 of the Environmental Management Act, 2002 as read with the Control of Plastic Bags Regulations of 2021.
Manufacturers also wanted government to also ban single-use plastic imports.
They said only bio-degradable plastics should be allowed in the country, adding that border gates should make it a point to block those plastics coming to the country to pollute the environment.
They said more than 80 per cent of the single-use plastics came from South Africa, with Eswatini spending over E900 million in importations of plastic products.