28 Aug 2013

Government will soon benefit from the sale and use of plastic bags after having regulated the plastic bag market in 2005.

Parliament passed the plastic bag amendment to the Waste Management Act in August 2006 and the new law was implemented the following year. However, the money that should have funded environmental initiatives has only been benefitting businesses since there were no adequate collection structures within government.

Ms Tshenolo Sechele of the Department of Waste Management and Pollution Control (DWMPC) told the ongoing North East District full council meeting, Tuesday, that the levy would be deposited into the National Environment Fund (NEF) for supporting education and training initiatives for behaviour change in waste management and environmental protection.

The NEF would also encourage research in waste management as well as promote other activities geared towards environmental protection for sustainability as may be deemed important. Furthermore, she said the current sale of plastic bags was not being enforced by government as some had always thought, hence the consultation with councillors and others stakeholders.

In their comments, councillors differed on what could be done to reduce and control the amount of waste from plastic bags and other plastic products being discharged into the environment. Nominated councillor, Mr Chibuya Kuchwe argued that the plastic levy be done in percentage form and in a manner similar to that of the Value Added Tax (VAT).

Cllr Kuchwe said that would help ensure that the poor were not overburdened with a high amount of money to pay, which would be the case with a fixed amount. Concurring that plastic bag waste was indeed a menace to the environment, Cllr William Tatose of Senyawe also supported the idea of setting up a percentage to be collected from consumers who chose to buy plastic bags.

Matshelagabedi councillor, Ms Winnie Showa said public education should be intensified with the view to encourage plastic waste recycling; noting that there was also a need to scale down manufacturing of plastic bags. Cllr Showa also agreed that the buy-back policy through which consumers would sell plastic bags to retailers would also help in reducing waste that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Another nominated councillor, Ms Ndinani Makhulela implored the DWMPC to encourage production of goods from waste materials, urging them to partner with primary schools with the view to inculcate in young children the habits of proper handling of various forms of waste. She further advocated for the use of one plastic bag by all retailers and business entities, something she said would make smooth the process of implementing the buy-back policy.

Cllr Makhulela argued that the current situation where retailers each had their own branded plastic bag would complicate the process of selling back plastic bags as consumers would have to go to different shops to do so.

In his contribution, councillor for Tshesebe, Mr Moses Maloiso said although the sale of plastic bags through the proposed levy could be a source of revenue for government, it was crucial not to lose focus of the fact that the long-term effect of the exercise was to reduce plastic bag waste from the environment. Gulubane councillor Dikitso Mandevu expressed concern over the likelihood of the levy impacting negatively on consumers.

He said the introduction of VAT had resulted in the rise of prices, something whose impact was felt mostly by the consumers. Currently, Cllr Mandevu said there were already many levies in Botswana, the combined amount of which was too much for many Batswana.

He however supported the idea of setting up a percentage when the levy is introduced; a move after which an assessment should be made to evaluate what further or alternative action could be taken. Cllr Mandevu also noted that time was ripe for plastic bags to be banned altogether and instead paper packaging be used. He commended some food outlets for their use of paper bags, saying that was ‘indeed the way to go.’

Another thing that could be done, he said was to introduce home trolleys which consumers could buy for use whenever they went shopping. That, he said would also help to ensure that consumers set aside time for shopping, thereby significantly reducing instances of impulsive shopping that many consumers engaged in every now and then.

Councillor for Makaleng, Mr Damien Thapa wondered how government would monitor compliance by foreign plastic bag manufacturers. He also advised government to look into whether or not the setting up of a particular thickness for plastic bags in the country would not be in violation of either SADC or SACU policies.

The council deputy chairperson and also councillor for Matsiloje, Ms Florence Mpetsane said there was need for consumers to be taught that buying plastic bags was not compulsory. Ms Mpetsane said some consumers bought plastic bags even when it was clearly unnecessary to do so. ENDS