Editorials

EDITORIAL: Ban reprieve welcome

Sunday, June 9, 2019 22:00

By EDITORIAL

The plastic menace has proved a tough nut to crack with environment suffering the consequences. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

The one-year reprieve handed to plastic manufacturers by the government to continue producing single use plastic such as disposable utensils and straws is a step in the right direction.

The development will offer the manufacturers appropriate time to upgrade their equipment in order to be compliant with the new rules.

The government will ban the items from protected areas such as parks, forests and beaches.

There is a big dig difference in the new ban that will come into effect on June 5, 2020 compared to the one the government rolled out two years ago where plastic bags and packaging materials were completely outlawed.

We urge the manufacturers to take advantage of the proffered grace period so that when the ban arrives they will not say that they had not been consulted or given adequate time to prepare for the transition.

The plastic menace has proved a tough nut to crack with environment suffering the consequences.

At the core of our day to day activities should be the drive to always protect our environment for current and future generations.