Plastic is threatening our planet's survival, from poisoning and injuring marine life to disrupting human hormones, from littering our beaches and landscapes to clogging our streams and landfills. Together, we can make a difference. This is the rationale of Earth day 2018 on the theme, ‘End Plastic Pollution’.
Polyethylene (plastic) bags is part of the single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Others are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging.
In Uganda, the ban on single use plastic bags was spearheaded by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA Uganda) in April 2015, where a widely publicised campaign was launched and partly implemented. The proposal to ban polythene bags first came out in financial year 2007/8 but failed but it was not until April 16, 2015 when the NEMA officials backed by the police and Uganda Revenue Authority attempted to implement the ban by raiding supermarkets, impounding thousands of pieces of polythene bags. Therefore, 2018 Earth day marks three years since the attempted ban of Polyethylene (plastic) bags in Uganda. Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development has been tweeting hashtag: #StopKaveeraNow in support of NEMA Uganda’s efforts.
Yet, although a ban was officially active from April 15, 2015, it has continued to meet several challenges, mainly from local manufacturers and importers who have insisted on having more consultations. A similar line of argument is held by regional manufacturers.
Discussions on the National Environment Management Bill (2017) are underway to replace the National Environment Act (1995), and make it conform with existing Government policies. The Bill proposes among others for the establishment of an Environmental Protection Force and Environmental Tribunal as well provision of enhanced penalties for offences under the Act. However, local manufacturers and importers have publicly come out to propose that Government of Uganda comes out with a better plan, rather than a blanket plastic ban.
Through their Umbrella, the Uganda Plastics Manufacturers and Recyclers Association (UPMRA), they have asked Parliament of Uganda to shelve this Bill until an amicable position is reached that will not affect their heavy investment into recycling technology since 2010. On the contrary, environmentalists led by Climate Action Network Uganda have demanded that stringent measures be put in the Bill to punish those who litter. They noted that “environmental concerns are more important than commercial interests.”
Amongst the East African Community Partner States, Rwanda has so far been steadfast in banning the polythene bags. Kenya that has recently taken the step to ban plastic bags has now cited plastics bags from neighbouring countries a challenge in the eradication of the polythene bags in its territory.
NEMA Kenya’s chief enforcement officer Mr Robert Orina was recently quoted by The East African Newspaper stating that “We have information that some business operators are still getting the commodity in bulks from the neighbouring countries mainly Uganda despite the ban that took effect in August 2017,”
Meanwhile, at the regional level in June 2016, the East African Legislative Assembly passed the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill 2016 that seeks to impose a complete ban on the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags in the East African Community after stagnating for five years. The Bill moved by Hon Patricia Hajabakiga, then Member from Rwanda aims at providing a legal framework for the preservation of a clean and healthy environment through the prohibition of manufacturing, sale, importation and use of polythene materials.
Justifying the move to have the regional law in place, Hon Hajabakiga stated that the Bill is intended to control the use of polythenes while advocating for the total ban of plastics. The mover noted several dangers of plastics and polythene materials notably soil degradation through burning of wastes, harmful emissions of toxics and the endangering of human and animal lives. She further indicates that while plastics can be burned, they emit chemicals and the corresponding photo-degradation has consequential impact on human and infrastructure.
So, while attempts to ban plastic bag are going on, there are several challenges including finding a win-win position for those who are for and those against this move, inadequate capacities to enforce the ban where it occurs in the individual countries, as well as the EAC level.
Above all, for Uganda Earth day 2018 theme to end plastic pollution is a time of reflection - to make a sincere decision on this once for all – to ban plastic bags or to maintain the status quo with its ecological and social consequences.
Polyethylene (plastic) bags is part of the single-use plastics, or disposable plastics, that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. Others are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles and most food packaging.
In Uganda, the ban on single use plastic bags was spearheaded by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA Uganda) in April 2015, where a widely publicised campaign was launched and partly implemented. The proposal to ban polythene bags first came out in financial year 2007/8 but failed but it was not until April 16, 2015 when the NEMA officials backed by the police and Uganda Revenue Authority attempted to implement the ban by raiding supermarkets, impounding thousands of pieces of polythene bags. Therefore, 2018 Earth day marks three years since the attempted ban of Polyethylene (plastic) bags in Uganda. Uganda Coalition for Sustainable Development has been tweeting hashtag: #StopKaveeraNow in support of NEMA Uganda’s efforts.
Yet, although a ban was officially active from April 15, 2015, it has continued to meet several challenges, mainly from local manufacturers and importers who have insisted on having more consultations. A similar line of argument is held by regional manufacturers.
Discussions on the National Environment Management Bill (2017) are underway to replace the National Environment Act (1995), and make it conform with existing Government policies. The Bill proposes among others for the establishment of an Environmental Protection Force and Environmental Tribunal as well provision of enhanced penalties for offences under the Act. However, local manufacturers and importers have publicly come out to propose that Government of Uganda comes out with a better plan, rather than a blanket plastic ban.
Through their Umbrella, the Uganda Plastics Manufacturers and Recyclers Association (UPMRA), they have asked Parliament of Uganda to shelve this Bill until an amicable position is reached that will not affect their heavy investment into recycling technology since 2010. On the contrary, environmentalists led by Climate Action Network Uganda have demanded that stringent measures be put in the Bill to punish those who litter. They noted that “environmental concerns are more important than commercial interests.”
Amongst the East African Community Partner States, Rwanda has so far been steadfast in banning the polythene bags. Kenya that has recently taken the step to ban plastic bags has now cited plastics bags from neighbouring countries a challenge in the eradication of the polythene bags in its territory.
NEMA Kenya’s chief enforcement officer Mr Robert Orina was recently quoted by The East African Newspaper stating that “We have information that some business operators are still getting the commodity in bulks from the neighbouring countries mainly Uganda despite the ban that took effect in August 2017,”
Meanwhile, at the regional level in June 2016, the East African Legislative Assembly passed the EAC Polythene Materials Control Bill 2016 that seeks to impose a complete ban on the use, manufacture and importation of plastic bags in the East African Community after stagnating for five years. The Bill moved by Hon Patricia Hajabakiga, then Member from Rwanda aims at providing a legal framework for the preservation of a clean and healthy environment through the prohibition of manufacturing, sale, importation and use of polythene materials.
Justifying the move to have the regional law in place, Hon Hajabakiga stated that the Bill is intended to control the use of polythenes while advocating for the total ban of plastics. The mover noted several dangers of plastics and polythene materials notably soil degradation through burning of wastes, harmful emissions of toxics and the endangering of human and animal lives. She further indicates that while plastics can be burned, they emit chemicals and the corresponding photo-degradation has consequential impact on human and infrastructure.
So, while attempts to ban plastic bag are going on, there are several challenges including finding a win-win position for those who are for and those against this move, inadequate capacities to enforce the ban where it occurs in the individual countries, as well as the EAC level.
Above all, for Uganda Earth day 2018 theme to end plastic pollution is a time of reflection - to make a sincere decision on this once for all – to ban plastic bags or to maintain the status quo with its ecological and social consequences.
