The Ministry of Health says that plastic bags pose a danger for people’s health. The bags also block sanitation systems in urban areas, thus causing flooding.
Inspector general of the Environment Ministry, Emilia Fumo, cited in Thursday’s issue of the Maputo daily Noticias, said that the sectors covered with the ban are collaborating with the teams involved in the inspection exercise.
The inspection came after a new regulation announced by authorities in August last year, which banned plastic bags which measure less than 30 micrometers. People were instead advised to use baskets made by either grass or coconut trees.
According to her, companies which are going to violate the ban will be fined.
The collection campaign of the plastic bags kicked off on Feb. 5.
Amid the crackdown, Mozambican company operating in central Sofala province in the production of plastic bags has threatened to cut jobs if the government carries on collecting plastics from the company.
The provincial authorities collected from that company nearly 4,000 plastics bags based on the ban.
According to the authorities, there are around 50 plastic bag producers in the country. Part of them import materials for the production of the bags. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
