Govt to ban production, distribution & use of plastic bags

Water Development, Sanitation and Environmental Protection Minister Lloyd Kaziya has disclosed that government is holding consultations on the possibility of banning the production, distribution and use of plastic bags.

In a ministerial statement to Parliament on the preparedness of government to avert water related diseases such as cholera, dysentery and typhoid, Mr Kaziya says the use of plastic bags is leading to post consumer waste that is not only destroying the beauty of the national landscape, but also posing a threat to the general environment.

He says once the ban is imposed it will avert the negative impact plastic bags have on the social economic standing of the country.

And Mr Kaziya says his ministry has formulated national water supply sanitation solid waste management policy which aims at strengthening the regulatory and institutional framework.

He says the development of the policy has since been finalized and submitted to Cabinet for approval.

Mr Kaziya adds that his ministry is also working with the Lusaka city council to establish a waste to energy plant under a public private partnership to address the management of solid waste in Lusaka.