The Environmental Management Agency (EMA) of Zimbabwe sent out a circular that is dated 12th November 2021 informing the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) and the Retailers Association of Zimbabwe that they plan to ban the use of plastic carrier bags by December 2022. This effectively gives retailers and the Zimbabwean public 12 months to test and try out solutions before the ban. This is generous considering just how big a problem plastic waste has become. The Confederation of Zimbabwe retailers is on board with the idea.
The plastic waste problem is neither new nor unique to Zimbabwe. Many attempts have been made to deal with the issue. The effort with the biggest impact was probably the shift to retailers making customers pay for plastic carrier bags. When the move was introduced I questioned how making customers pay for plastic bags would help the situation so I’m not surprised that the situation has not improved. I’m sure there was good intent behind it and it was not a move unique to Zimbabwe. Many countries introduced the same with the UK doubling its plastic bag tax a year ago.
The EMA has been bold in action in the past moving to altogether ban Styrofoam or kaylite packaging in the fast-food industry. This move was received as being much more controversial but it has worked with those being a distant memory in the minds of Zimbabweans. The problem of plastic waste is an eyesore in a country that already struggles with dealing with waste in general. Recycling while very noble has not managed to deal with the problem. Many hurdles exist and while similar ideas have managed to take root in places like Kenya, turning plastic waste into bricks has been challenging for Greenslabs.
In every crisis there is opportunity. It would be unfair to call this a crisis but what some people know as a way of life is about to change. The EMA noted that the CZR has made efforts in promoting alternatives and encouraged them to find complete solutions in the next 12 months. Zimbabwe is not averse to reusable carrier bags, some even woven from recycled plastic threads. Necessity is the mother of invention and we can expect that this move by the EMA will appeal to the creative and capacitated to create alternatives. This includes those who already provide alternatives innovating or changing to meet customer needs.
Kenya banned single-use plastic bag importing, manufacturing and selling in 2017. The ban was not complete as it covered what they call protected areas. Attempts to extend the ban to PET bottles were met by an industry-based solution to form a recycling company. The results for Kenya have not been as advertised and we could learn a few things from them as a case study. It is certainly a welcome move by the EMA but the problem needs more than a good move.
