Ministry Top 2 Confiscate Plastic Bags
Plastic bags were confiscated at the Suva City Municipal Market by the Ministry of Environment after a spot check yesterday.
A team led by Permanent Secretary for Environment Joshua Wycliffe and director Sandeep Singh visited stalls at the market and measured the thickness of the bags.
The sale and manufacture of single-use plastic bags became illegal from January 1, 2020. Sungle use plastic bags are less than 50 microns in thickness.
Mr Wycliffe said their focus was not on penalising vendors rather enforcing the law. “We would like to do a conference with vendors on what the law states. We confiscated some plastics and invoices which show that these bags were sold to them,” he said. Mr Wycliffe said they would also be looking at the manufacturers.
Almost all vendors at the market are still packing their vegetables in some form of plastic. The Ministry of Environment will conduct another spot check sometime next week.
According to law, a person who manufactures single use plastic bags or that which has a thickness of less than 50 microns, commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $500,000 or a term of imprisonment not exceeding seven years or both.
A person who sells supplies or distributes single-use plastic bags to another person or makes plastic available to a customer for carrying goods purchased or to be purchased from a retailer, commits an offence and is liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding $150,000 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years or both.