Swakop considering by-law on plastic bags
The Swakopmund Municipality is planning on introducing a by-law which will compel shops to only stock reusable shopping bags, instead of the current lightweight bags made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic.
Reusable bags should be made of a stronger material for use over many years to carry groceries or other goods.
Pick n Pay, Checkers and other stores already stock reusable bags made from bonded, recycled plastic fibre called non-woven polypropylene. The price of such bags vary per store.
The idea of the by-law to ban the use of plastics in shops dates back to 2009 but progress has been slow due to the processes involved in enacting such a by-law, said Clive Lawrence, the general manager of health services in the municipality.
“We are pushing to have the by-law passed before the festive season,” he told Nampa in Swakopmund over the weekend.
If passed, this will be the first by-law of its kind in the country.
More than 40 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Morocco, have banned the use of plastic bags or imposed a tax on such bags.
It will certainly reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags currently being discarded, said Lawrence, adding shoppers should treat reusable shopping bags as a valuable commodity rather than trash.
He said a stakeholders' meeting will take place today to discuss the framework for the idea that was already drawn up last year.
“Next month we will submit the framework to council for approval, followed by a draft and arrangements for consultation meetings with the public,” said Lawrence.
It is not yet clear how much shoppers will be charged per reusable bag, but Lawrence said shops will be compelled to give 50% of the money collected in the sale of reusable bags to the environmental fund managed by the town council to organise cleaning campaigns and other environmental friendly projects.
Every year, the Swakopmund Municipality faces a challenge of cleaning up trash, mostly discarded plastic shopping bags, especially in the DRC informal settlement.
NAMPA
Reusable bags should be made of a stronger material for use over many years to carry groceries or other goods.
Pick n Pay, Checkers and other stores already stock reusable bags made from bonded, recycled plastic fibre called non-woven polypropylene. The price of such bags vary per store.
The idea of the by-law to ban the use of plastics in shops dates back to 2009 but progress has been slow due to the processes involved in enacting such a by-law, said Clive Lawrence, the general manager of health services in the municipality.
“We are pushing to have the by-law passed before the festive season,” he told Nampa in Swakopmund over the weekend.
If passed, this will be the first by-law of its kind in the country.
More than 40 countries, including South Africa, Kenya, Rwanda and Morocco, have banned the use of plastic bags or imposed a tax on such bags.
It will certainly reduce the amount of single-use plastic bags currently being discarded, said Lawrence, adding shoppers should treat reusable shopping bags as a valuable commodity rather than trash.
He said a stakeholders' meeting will take place today to discuss the framework for the idea that was already drawn up last year.
“Next month we will submit the framework to council for approval, followed by a draft and arrangements for consultation meetings with the public,” said Lawrence.
It is not yet clear how much shoppers will be charged per reusable bag, but Lawrence said shops will be compelled to give 50% of the money collected in the sale of reusable bags to the environmental fund managed by the town council to organise cleaning campaigns and other environmental friendly projects.
Every year, the Swakopmund Municipality faces a challenge of cleaning up trash, mostly discarded plastic shopping bags, especially in the DRC informal settlement.
NAMPA
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