update (19 September 2019): The mandatory N$0,50 environmental levy on plastic bags will be introduced nationwide in October 2019!
Namibia introduces a mandatory N$0,50 environmental levy on plastic bags. According to the Government Gazette 6967 (02 August 2019), plastic materials like sacks and bags (including cones), carrier bags, flat bags (excluding immediate packings, zip-lock bags and household bags including refuse bags and refuse bin liners) will carry the new environmental levy fee. The funds generated through the plastic bag levy will be directed to Namibia's Environmental Investment Fund. The country plans to ban plastic bags completely by 2022.
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Malawi has reinstated a ban on thin plastics, including thin plastic bags. The government imposed the ban on thin plastic in 2015, but the move was overturned by Malawi's highest court after a number of plastic manufacturers in the in the southern-east African nation obtained an injunction. Now the Supreme Court of Malawi dismissed the appeal, so that with immediate effect the production of thin plastics under 60 microns in thickness in Malawi is illegal again. Companies who violate the ban face fines and the closure of their factories.
Namibia's Minister of Environment and Tourism Hon. Pohamba Shifeta has announced at the press conference to announce the country's first 11 declared waste disposal sites that Namibia may ban plastic bags completely by 2022. According to the Minister, the Ministry of Environment and Tourism is in consultation with the sector and relevant stakeholders to ensure that by then an alternative to plastic bags may be found especially for plastic producers in the country. The proposed levy on plastic bags is to been seen as temporal measure to mitigate the impact of plastic bag on our environment but ultimately Namibia wishes to ban plastic bags completely in three years.
Namibia is set to introduce a compulsory levy on non-biodegradable plastic bags. The levy is still being finalised by the country's Ministry of Finance and is expected to be gazzetted in July 2019. According to Ministry of Environment and Tourism spokesperson Romeo Muyunda, the envisaged plastic levy should be viewed as entry point to ban plastics. The funds generated through the plastic bag levy will be directed to Namibia's Environmental Investment Fund. Some shops in Namibia, such as Pick n Pay Namibia, already started charging 50 cents per plastic bag at the beginning of June 2019.
Namibia has banned plastic bag in the county's protected areas, such as National Parks, with immediate effect. If found in possession of plasic bags, visitors will be finded N$500. The amendment to the regulation relating to the Nature Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (4 of 1875) to restrict the use of plastic bags in national parks was alreay approved and gazetted in 2017 (Government Gazette 6285, 13 April 2018, p. 3, 4). Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET) is putting in place the necessary systems to enforce the ban of plasic bags.
- (1) No person shall enter a game park or nature reserve with a plastic bag.
- (2) Notwithstanding subregulation (1), a person may enter a game park or nature reserve with a plastic bag -
- (a) designed to be used for the disposal of waste;
- (b) designed for agricultural purposes;
- (c) used for sampling or analysis;
- (d) that constitutes, or forms an integral part of, the packaging in which goodsare sealed prior to sale in the local market or for export; or
- (e) that is a transparent resealable bag.
- (3) A person who contravenes subregulation (1) commits an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding N$500 or to imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or to both such fine and such imprisonment.
Botswana's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism has informed the public on facebook that the plastic bag ban (Plastic Carrier Bag and Plastic Flat Bag Prohibition), which was set to become effective on 01 November 2018, has been postponed until further notice. According to the Ministry, the postponement is being done to allow further engagement on the implementation of the prohibition in Botswana. We'll keep you posted!
update (18 June 2018): According to the spokesperson of Namibia's Ministry of Environment and Tourism (MET), the ban of plastic bags in national parks in Namibia is not yet being implemented as the ministry is still putting measures and systems in place before enforcement and full implementation. The MET confirmed that an amendment to the regulation relating to the Nature Conservation Ordinance, 1974 (4 of 1875) to restrict the use of plastic bags in national parks was approved and gazetted in 2017.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR), the state-owned enterprise mandated to run the tourism facilities within the protected areas of Namibia, has informed its stakeholders that with immediate effect the usage of pastic bags is no longer allowed within the country's National Parks. We'll keep you updated as soon as more information are available.
update (26 October 2018): Botswana postpones plastic bag ban until further notice! >>
The Government of Botswana is set to ban plastic carrier bags and plastic flat bags in Botswana from 01 November 2018. The ban will however not apply to the following for health and hygiene purposes:
- Bread bag - this refers to plastic bags used for packaging bread
- Plastic bin liner - refers to plastic bags used for lining refuse bins or refuse receptacles
- Barrier bag - thin or flimsy plastic bag used to separate products at final point of sale
- Plastic refuse bag - plastic bag designed for carrying waste
- Primary packaging - refers to plastic packaging that is in direct contact with the product for purposes of containing the product during transportation or handling to the point of distribution or point of use.
Any person contravening the regulations on the prohibition of the plastic carrier bag and plastic flat bag will be committing an offence and will be liable to the following:
- For a first offender, the plastic carrier bag or the flat bag will be confiscated.
- For a second or subsequent offence the person will be liable to a fine not exceeding P5, 000.00 or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 30 days or both.
The time in between until 01 November 2018 is to allow for the public and affected industries in Botswana to put in place environmentally friendly packaging systems or alternatives to the plastic bag. In Africa, Botswana will be following the footsteps of Rwanda and Kenya that have already banned plastic bags.
More information on the plastic ban can be found on the Government Gazette of 01 June 2018, Statutory Instrument no. 74 of 2018, Waste Management (Plastic Carrier Bags and Plastic Flat Bags Prohibition) Regulations of 2018.
