Government Orders NEMA to firmly implement ban on plastics.

The Ministry of water and Environment has directed the National Environment management Authority to take decisive action and act against the rampant production and use of banned plastics across the country.

NEMA together with other government agencies in Uganda are assigned different responsibilities by the law to implement and enforce the law on importation, local manufacture, distribution and use of plastic carrier bags below 30 microns,how ever the implementation has on several occations Hit a dead end .

The minister of state for Environment Beatrice Anywar issued the directive during a high level engagement on the National strategy for plastics regulatory in Uganda organized by the National Environment management Authority (NEMA).

Under the various laws stipulated in the Environmental act, NEMA is mandated to monitor, regulate, supervise and coordinate all activities relating to the environment while Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is mandated to enforce product standards.

How ever Many factors have continued to delay enforcement of plastics ban in Uganda,this includes resistance from the manufacturers  who claim they have a recycling cycle of the plastics and put the  blame on government that has not considered banning the most  dangerous packaging materials that cannot be recycled.

Minister Beatrice Anywar says producers of various products especially drinks should look at alternative packaging of their products , so that they act as good examples to environment conservation.

NEMA has  undertaken inspections and inventory of facilities manufacturing plastic carrier bags since 2020, during which the manufacturers of plastic carrier bags are informed of the requirements in the Act.

The requirements stipulate 30 microns as the minimum requirement for flat and plastic carrier bags.

The standard further stipulates that bags shall be free from defects such as gels, streaks, pinholes, and particles of foreign matter, in dispersed raw materials, cuts and tears that would impair the performance of the bags.