A month ago, Malawi’s Supreme Court dismissed an appeal by plastic manufacturing companies on ban of production of plastics bags less than 60 microns.
The ruling on plastic industry appeal by the Supreme Court in the country, prohibited production of thin plastics in Malawi.
Retailers and distributors were advised to send back the forbidden thin plastic bags that were described not to be friendly to the environment.
Though the Supreme Court made a landmark ruling toward beating plastic pollution in the country, people are still using the banned carrier bags made of plastics that are less than 60 microns.
Such people include Malawi’s first citizen, Peter Mutharika, who went shopping at a local market using thin plastic.
During his visit to vendors from Blantyre Flea Market a week ago, Mutharika bought some items that were carried in thin plastic bag that has been banned for use.
When contacted, Presidential Press officer, Mgeme Kalilani, justified the use of the banned carriage plastic bag saying there are some that can be used in the country.
“I have to check if it is a thin plastic, you know there is a certain size of thin plastic that was banned, so can we first check if that plastic is within that category, you give me 30 minutes,” said Kalilani.
But that 30 minutes, turned to hours waiting with ignored calls as we sought for clarification on Mutharika’s plastic bag that was used at Blantyre flea market.
The decision to ban plastics of less than 60 microns in Malawi, through the Environment Management Regulation of 2015 followed negative impacts associated with indiscriminated use and disposal of thin plastics.
Stop that nonsense of checking the thin plastic bags or whatever Mr.President.If you want to check please go to the villages and check the schools where pupils are learning under the trees,or check the clinics where there are no even one pill of panado for patients not those things you went and check