Govt to ban use of single-use plastic

The government has set in motion plans to ban single use plastic by the end of the year.

Environment minister Pohamba Shifeta recently told parliament that plastic waste stays on the planet for much longer than anyone may think.

“Single-use plastics are not worth destroying our Earth. Smarter choices need to be made when it comes to buying and selling single-use plastic products,” he said.

Shifeta said even when plastic is recycled, the waste still remains on Earth. Recently, the world commemorated World Environment Day focusing on solutions to plastic pollution following the recent conclusion of a second round of negotiations in France to end pollution globally.

Shifeta said the social and economic costs of plastic pollution range between US$300 billion and US$600 billion per year.

According to a recent United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) report, ‘Turning off the Tap’, plastic pollution could reduce by 80% by 2040 if countries and companies make policy to end production and use of single-use plastic and promote market shifts using existing technologies.

“At the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (Unea-5.2), a resolution was adopted to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment with the ambition to complete the negotiations by the end of 2024. In Namibia, single-use plastics pose an equally significant threat to the environment,” he said.

According to Unep, approximately seven billion of the 9,2 billion tonnes of plastic produced worldwide from 1950-2017 became plastic waste and ended up in landfills.

“Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, and directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities, and social well-being. Namibia has started the dialogue and is taking steps to address single-use of plastics,” he said.

Shifeta said discussions between the ministry and the Environmental Investment Fund of Namibia are underway to consider using the collected levies to fund initiatives that protect or promote the responsible management of the environment, pollution control and waste management as well as the sustainable use of natural resources for economic development.

“In Namibia, we have examples of how plastics have impacted our livestock/wildlife mortality as a result of plastic ingestion, as well as possible contamination of both surface and groundwater sources. Most of the plastic waste ends up in our oceans and accumulates in our food chains through the fish and sea products that we consume,” he said.

Shifeta said the ban will help to reduce the amount of plastic waste that ends up in the environment.

“We also believe that it will encourage individuals and businesses to adopt more sustainable practices and promote the use of alternative materials,” he said.

The Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry president, Bisey Uirab, said the proposal might have a short-term effect on local manufacturers that produce plastics.

“Unfortunately, we cannot run away from saving the environment. As reality evolves and technology advances, companies can produce goods with less impact on the environment. Plastic damages the environment and it is cheaper for consumers to stop buying plastic every day. We support this initiative,” he said.

The ministry’s spokesperson, Romeo Muyunda, said the ban will start as soon as possible, with a submission to Cabinet and parliament’s approval.

“With parliament’s approval, it is going to be a gradual process to ban the plastic according to the classification that we have come up with,” he said.

Muyunda said the government has concluded discussions with waste management committees.

Danny Meyer from SME Compete has expressed his support for the proposed government move to ban single-use plastic, stating that it comes as no surprise and is long overdue. Meyer believes that this step is necessary to protect Namibia’s unique and ecologically sensitive environment.

“Namibia’s environment is unique and spectacularly beautiful, but ecologically sensitive and fragile. So, it really makes sense,” Meyer said.

However, he emphasised the importance of providing sufficient notice to businesses to allow them to make the necessary adjustments and find alternative products and packaging arrangements. This, he said, would help prevent potential disruptions to businesses that rely on single-use plastics.

Meyer also suggested that the government should embark on a nationwide awareness campaign to complement the plastic ban.

He pointed to the success of previous initiatives, such as when retailers started charging for plastic bags, which prompted consumers to develop recycling habits and bring their own bags while shopping.

“People started cultivating recycling habits and took their old bags along on shopping trips. Consumers took recycling seriously, but seemingly far too many have slipped back into old habits,” Meyer said.
-Additional reporting by Donald Matthys