| Share facebook | RSS

6
Comments

ambassador Report View

Plastic bags ban

by | 31-05-2017 08:08 recommendations 0

Plastic bags are a real scourge. In fact, they are harmful to the environment and kill thousands of animals each year. They are dumped into our countryside and beaches releasing their poison everywhere and ending up in the soil.

Tunisians consume one billion plastic bags each year, of which 30% (approximately 315 million of them) comes from the large supermarkets. Those 315 million bags are equal to 10,000 tons of plastic waste according to the ministry.
In an effort to phase plastic bags out, the Ministry of Local Affairs and Environment has  signed an agreement with the supermarket union chamber in 2016 . This agreement, which was effective from the 1st of March, prohibits the distribution of single-use plastic bags.
The ban on plastic bags in supermarkets entered into force in March 2017 in Tunisia, a country facing a marked deterioration of its environment in recent years.
The alternative is not difficult to find, in fact, we could use the traditional Tunisian basket (the Koffa) or other ecological bags.
The minister describes that approach as ?gradual? and which in a few months will result in a total ban on the manufacture and sale of plastic bags in Tunisia.
The idea is to encourage the factories to produce, using the same technologies, reusable bags that will be sold for use several times. It is also about changing the behavior of the consumer to control the use of plastic bags and think about alternative solutions.

The ministry has therefore opted for a progressive approach, in several stages instead of a global and radical approach which will not work.

So, will these plastic bags completely be eliminated by the end of the year? Will the environmental police control this issue, especially outside supermarkets? The coming months will provide an answer.



sources :
Huffpost
Treehugger
 
© Zero Waste Tunisia/Facebook  A 'koffa' is a traditional basket used for shopping

no image

  • Dormant user
 
 
  • recommend

6 Comments

  • says :
    thanks for sharing
    Posted 06-02-2018 21:43

  • says :
    good report
    Posted 06-02-2018 21:43

  • says :
    Hi Siwar! Thank you for the report. Actual ban on plastic is a real move to see the death of the item. I have seen lot of initiatives against the use of plastic but never something that prohibits these of these. Do post when this fully implemented.
    Posted 13-06-2017 17:54

  • says :
    Hi Siwar! Thanks for sharing your report on banning plastic bags.
    It is actually quite impressive! Many countries are aware of the seriousness of the excessive use of plastic bags, but no countries could actually try banning the use. I think it's really great initative! Looking forward to hearing the next steps will be taken.
    Posted 02-06-2017 22:14

  • says :
    Thank you for sharing this with us. Plastic bags are indeed a nuisance to the environment. I hope that the alternative products that you have mentioned above such as the Koffa will help reduce the use of plastic bags in your country.
    Posted 31-05-2017 16:58

  • says :
    Siwar, thank you for your report. Plastic bags have been a problem for quite a long time now. I wish to know how the initiative goes in your country. Isn't there any disagreement until now? Are people satisfied with what the government tries to do?
    Posted 31-05-2017 15:50

Post a comment

Please sign in

Opportunities

Resources