Africa-Press – Malawi. By Innocent Chunga:
Natural Resources and Climate Change Minister Owen Chomanika has described plastic pollution as a national crisis and called for urgent collective action to protect the environment.
Chomanika said this yesterday during commemorations marking World Environment Day and International Day of Biodiversity.
The main activity took place at Chongole Primary School ground, which is under Senior Chief Mwadzama, in Nkhotakota District.
“Plastic waste is choking our rivers and harming biodiversity. We cannot afford to ignore this any longer,” Chomanika said.
The minister also visited Chia Lagoon, where he took part in birdwatching and boat rides to appreciate the area’s biodiversity.
He later toured exhibitions at which stakeholders showcased environmental innovations, including projects that turn plastic waste into fuel.
Malawi introduced a ban on thin plastics— specifically those with a thickness of less than 30 microns—in 2015 under the Environment Management (Plastics) Regulations.
These regulations prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution and use of thin single-use plastic bags, which experts say pose a serious threat to the environment and wildlife.
However, implementation has faced resistance, especially from plastic manufacturers, who challenged the law in court.
In 2019, the Supreme Court of Appeal upheld the ban, giving the government full legal backing to enforce it.
Despite this, weak enforcement and continued illegal production and importation have limited progress.
Director General of the Malawi Environmental Protection Authority, Wilfred Kadewa, emphasised the importance of transitioning to sustainable alternatives.
“Plastic bags take hundreds of years to decompose. They block drainage systems, pollute water bodies and endanger wildlife,” Kadewa said
Meanwhile, Nkhotakota-Chia constituency Member of Parliament Brainex Kaise, has appealed to the government to support communities surrounding Chia Lagoon with small loans and alternative sources of income.
“If people have other economic activities, they will stop entering the lagoon to fish, hunt birds or destroy natural habitats,” Kaise said.
This year’s event was held under the theme ‘Live in Harmony with Nature—Stop Plastic Pollution for Sustainable Development’.
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