Africa-Press – Lesotho. MANAGERS of companies that manufacture, import and supply plastic bags face a fine of up to M5 000, two years in jail or both should they break regulations that are in the making.
The government is working on regulations for the making, use, and disposal of plastic bags in an effort to clean the environment of plastics. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Ministry of Environment and the private sector are working together on the project.
The UNDP said regulations will then be implemented, requiring all businesses that manufacture, produce and import plastics to register and pay a levy.
Application forms to qualify as a supplier as well as standard permit applications for plastic bags at any retail outlet will be available including forms to deregister the retailer.
However the levy will still be paid. The plan is to curb the use of plastic bags under the Plastic Waste Management Programme. The programme was launched on Tuesday.
The UNDP, through Lesotho Accelerator Labs, aims to work with people, government and the private sector to re-envision development for the 21st century.
The UNDP says it is creating new capability for decision-makers to explore and grow portfolios of mutually-reinforcing solutions against the environmental and economic impact of plastic bags.
The UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, Nessie Golakai-Gould, said that the UNDP “recognises the private sector as a key partner to the achievement of the universally adopted Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.
“The role of the private sector in production and use of plastics cannot be overemphasised therefore making it even more critical in the re-engineering of new relationships with plastics,” Golakai-Gould said.
She said the campaigns and advocacy programmes seek to reduce, re-use, repurpose and recycle principles of plastic waste considering the huge threat to marine life, people, plants as well as animal health.
Golakai-Gould said “we all cannot ignore the terrible trajectory of plastic life on our environment”. “The aim here is not to ban plastics but to encourage a more sustainable use of plastic pollution,” she said.
The Deputy Principal Secretary for the Ministry of Tourism, Environment and Culture, Moliehi Ntene, said that “the inappropriate management of plastic shopping bag waste in Lesotho has become a serious environmental issue that the inefficiency of solid waste, collection system, lack of legislation and inappropriate waste disposal infrastructure amongst others have significantly contributed to pollution”.
For More News And Analysis About Lesotho Follow Africa-Press
