WE SHOULD END PLASTIC BAGS IN OUR CITIES BEFORE WE FACE CALAMITIES’”

“WE SHOULD END PLASTIC BAGS IN OUR CITIES BEFORE WE FACE CALAMITIES’”

In almost every part of the world have taken environmental concern against plastic bags with the view on the relationship between environment, sustainable development and human survival. The concern also has been sided with the assumption that sustainable development cannot be attained without taking consideration of environment. Environment need to be conserved, protected, and developed for future generation and sustainability of human species.

Plastic bags for that logic has now taken the lead in polluters race, a large part of the world has been affected by plastic  and polyethene materials, people face calamities like flood, soil degradation and lose soil fertility, increasing litters  due to plastic and polythene materials. Tanzania like any other countries of the world is going through these problems with its cities especially major cities of Dar es Salaam, Mbeya, Arusha, Tanga, Mwanza and others being clouded by plastic bags. Plastic bags and plastic bottles has become the alternative for commercial and domestic use in those major cities of Tanzania. In almost every corner of these cities are colored by these materials. Citizens in Tanzania has opted for the plastic bags for their domestic use like market shopping, and small commodities caring, they have even turned these bags as their travel bags, pupils and students use the plastic bags as their school bags. Dar es Salaam in particular they have assigned the name “take away” as the name to legalize the use of plastic bags and plastic bottles. In Kariakoo market a famous market in Dar es Salaam street vendors has climaxed the business of plastic bags. And this has been similar to other market where street vendors sell plastic bags to customers coming for shopping and retailers to pack their product for sales.  Traders and industries have utilized the legalization of plastic bags from citizens by trying to make their product pack in plastic containers, for example beverages traders and industries currently have manufactured plastic bottles in order to cover the market.

But in case of Dar es salaam plastic bottles are now in  control as many youth collect them from streets and users, for recycling by specific industries, the question is amounting on plastic bags especially those of 30s and below 30 microns.

IMPACT OF PLASTIC BAGS AND POLYETHYLEN MATERIALS TO ENVIRONMENT IN TANZANIA

Plastic bags cause a lot of damages to our environment and human development. Plastic bags are made from petroleum and other natural resources that even if you decide to recycle them you will probably face air pollution as they emit smoke containing toxic gas which is harmful to atmospheric bacteria. Therefore it is necessary to ban the production, distribution and use of plastic bags without considering the nature and the size of those bags because all plastic and polyethene material share effects and there hazardous to environment.

Some people has pointed out some reasonable and sounding effect caused by  plastic bags as they have experienced them, most of them point out the pollution to the environment outlook and the soil suitability for agriculture. Ludovic Kazoka (DailyNews 16, august 2013) in his article “Tanzania state impose fresh ban on plastic bags” stated that plastic bags are harmful and cause soil degradation, through burning of wastes, harmful emission of toxic and endangering of human and animal lives. Other observers like Larry West (about.com 2013) the article “why stop using plastic bags” he said plastic bags clog water ways, spoil landscape and end up landfill.

But also Dr Terezy Huviza (minister responsible ) in press conference argued that the prevalence’s of plastic bags was endangering the lives of creature on land and water bodies, she added plastic bags  damaging soil hence posing a serious challenges to agricultural activities and the burning of them was causing air pollution.

To argue on the effect of these bags, then the plastic bags affect environment in almost all angles that is in water bodies, soil, wildlife and totality to human lives. Taking focus on land, plastic bags are not easily to decompose it is estimated that it take about 1000 years to decompose in soil. These situation cause soil degradation and sometime loose water penetration to soil, which in turn confuse agricultural activities. So by taking such stand we found causality sense of plastic bags and agricultural decline.  Plastic bags are very really to decompose then cause degradation which led to agricultural decline and eventually cause the loss of food to human species and microorganism.

But also the situation hinder economic development as the soil became unproductive due to lose of soil fertility. Then those who depend on agriculture for economic growth decline economically due to their productive limit by prevalence of plastic bags in soil. For the country like Tanzania whereby two third of the population depend on agriculture for their economic growth, therefore require land fertility. And when that fertility is not maintains then their economy survival will probably decline. With this stance then it is real that the effects of plastic bags are not only on observable effect but it cause other impact to lives of people and country.

Plastic bags also may complicate the economy as they require barrels of petroleum and other natural resources for manufacturing. It has been argued that about 60-100 million barrels of petroleum are need to every year around the world to make plastic bags (Rita 2011). Developing country may experience the economic slow down through the rise of petroleum price in ordinary market, therefore even transportation of their products to the industry and to consumers became under complications.

The prevalence of plastic bags in streets and with human surrounding increase the litters in those areas. Plastic bags are easily loses its quality of use therefore there thrown away after either single use or double use. And the plastic bags have increased its use in Tanzania and other country. Customers and retailers use plastic bags especially those of 35 microns as there offered free and durable, easy to carry. For example chips makers currently has made plastic bags as their containers, those local and domestic market use these plastic bags as important containers. This increased the amount of litters in street and in our surroundings. Rita (2011) put in short that each year more and more bags are ending up littering the environment, once they became litters plastic bags find their ways into our waterways, parks, beaches, trenches and street. And if they are banned they infuse the air with toxic fume.  From environmental view these litters are polluter to human environment, and in another way increase the budget of waste collections to municipal authority and central government as well.

In another way plastic bags when there are not banned and managed in proper way they can block drainage system and cause flooding as well as street smell. When these bags are logged into tributaries and trenches in town block water pass for a long time, things that led trenches and tributaries to flood and disturbance to people. A good example is India where these bags caused flood due to system blockage by plastic bags. But other evidence is in our city (Dar es Salaam) where almost all the trenches along load and street are logged by the plastic bags.

They also kill animals and water related animals, plastic bags kill animals when they mistake them with food. Animals like cattle, goats, sheep, and wildlife animals eat glasses with increase of plastic bags litters may cause these animals to mistake and eat plastic bags litters.  In water bodies plastic bags take a long time to decompose and complicate the food for aquatic animals, as they cause toxic poison when thrown into water bodies.

INITIATIVE TO CONTROL IN TANZANIA AND OTHER COUNTRY.

Following the reason that plastic bags a threat to environment every country is trying its position to ban them from use, production, distribution and availability in their surroundings. Several countries throughout the world have imposed legislation and regulations that ban the plastic bags. To have look on the following countries South Africa  in 2003 banned the use of high density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic bags (less than 30microns), they also imposed a levy on the thicker plastic bags the government laws required retailers to sell plastic bags not to distribute them for free.  Eritrea, Rwanda and Somalia (Somali land) banned them since 2005, Australia enacted a policy and campaign with the name “zero waste policy” in 2009 the policy imposed fine to retailers if they sell or give away plastic bags made from polyethylene polymer (less than 35 micrometer). The government of Australia also provided facilities for collecting plastic bags in almost all supermarkets within the country.

Other countries are China in 2008 the country banned the production, distribution, and use of HDPE, and retailers were allowed to charge customer for the LDPE (0.025 microns). Hong Kongo implemented education campaign called “No Plastic Bags Please!”  And prohibited the retailer to provide the plastic bags for free. Newzealand in 2009 the government imposed levy to retailers plastic bags. Denmark 1994 established a tax on plastic and paper bags paid by retailers. To mention but a few. Data from Marrrickvilla council in support of internet source

Tanzania has concern has adopted several measures on generally the country enacted a law regarding environmental safety in 2004, that is the Tanzania Environmental Management Act 2004, the act generalized the issues but not specific to plastic bags. In 2006 the government banned the production, importation, distribution and the use of the plastic bags below 30 microns in the country. And currently the country has imposed the fresh ban of plastic bags. The fresh ban as come following the East African Community (EAC) Polyethylene Material Control Bill 2011 which was passed by EAC legislative assembly. Tanzania Island namely Pemba has shown a successful move in a war against plastic bags. In 1996 the revolutionary government of Zanzibar passed the Environmental Management for Sustainability Development Acts No 2 of 1996, which prohibited businessmen from manufacturing, distributing, selling, or using all kind of plastic bags.

The move in Pemba has reported to have support from citizens where resident turned willingly to traditional bags and other environmental friendly bags. Mr kombo (fishermen in Pemba) was quoted by DailyNews journalist saying that almost all resident in the big town of Chakechake, Mkoani and Wete in Pemba are aware with the negative impact of plastic bags.

The government (Pemba) also in its move to fight the plastic bags has involved the following mechanism including all stakeholders, launching awareness’ campaigns, and other of alike. Issa Yusufu (journalist-DailyNews) in his article wrote  “ the anti-plastic bags task force included town council authorities, police forces, and community leaders………” in Pemba also awareness campaign were done through media, public gathering, and use of sign board in most important stations like bus stations, airports, market place, round about. All these initiatives helped Pemba to attain a greatest success in fighting a plastic bag and currently Pemba is a free plastic bags Island in Zanzibar.

LEVELS OF SUCCESS IN SOME COUNTRIES AND TANZANIA.

Some countries within EAC and outside the region have shown a level of success. Within east Africa community Rwanda is a good example, the government of Rwanda has succeeded for about 100% on ban plastic bags. The country has introduced a paper bags which replaced plastic bags. Rwanda since 2008 had imposed a radical policy against plastic bags and all non biodegradable materials in Rwanda. Juliet (down town researcher) said anyone entering Rwanda is ordered to give up their plastic bags or have it confiscate. The alternative to the ban was paper bags.

But also in Tanzania island of Pemba successful story has been narrated, the government has managed to ban the plastic bags with the serious turn to traditional bags commonly known as “kikapu” in Swahili terms. At the world level some countries like Denmark and Italy with other euro zone country has marked the success.

For large part Tanzania mainland especially big cities a ranging behind with the lot of plastic bags in street and towns. Some comment has been made that the fail is mostly attributed with lack of commitment to the war.

WHAT IS MISSING IN TANZANIA

Tanzania has passed several legislation and statement in regard of generally environmental care. The measures included the Tanzania Environment Management Act of 2004, Prohibition of Plastic Bags Regulations 2006, and currently the statement of the minister regarding the total ban of plastic bags. But with all those measures the country still ranging behind in plastic bags eradication campaigns, what is missing in case of Tanzania?

To answer the question, one needs to concretely scrutinize the observable fact in environment and the question concern. Some people may point out many questions in regard of what is missing in Tanzania why are we raging behind on the war. But why other countries have moved forward? What has been in those countries that are in successful race?  To quote Hon. Ester Bulaya (MP) while arguing on the environmental budget she said “The government’s ban on production, importation, distribution and use of plastic bags lacked government commitment”. The commitment of the government in her view was on the amount of fund the government allocate to the department concern with environment and the ability to enforce the laws and policies over issues.

To argue on what is messing the following fact need to be given central focus these include the stakeholders involvement, awareness and education campaign,  and the role of the government over the issues.

Starting with stakeholders involvements that the environmental issues in its view concern every individual therefore every person is stakeholder in environmental issues. The Tanzania Environmental Management Act No 2 of 2004 article 6state that “every person living in Tanzania shall have a stake and a duty to safeguard and enhance the environment and to inform the relevant authority of any activity and phenomenon that may affect the environment significantly” therefore the act itself recorganise the need of every individual within Tanzania to be a part of environmental concern.

To analyze them stakeholders to our case include governmental stakeholders that  is regional,  district, and division authority, local government authority(s), state apparatus especially police force, and community –policing sector, mass media both local and foreign mass media, business men and industrialist, retailers, customer/consumers, Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) spiritual institutions,  activist groups, academic institutions, and all environmental loving organizations.  All these stakeholders need to act in mutuality of vision and mission in order to reach the intended mission.

In Tanzania case the involvement of stakeholders both by the government and some Non-Governmental Organization (NGOs) involving in the matter have been marginalized to the extent that large part of stakeholders has been the recipient of the program but not participants in the move.  The participation of stakeholders in the struggle seem to be in top down nature and not in horizontal relationship which is required for eradicating plastic bags

Lack of awareness and education campaigns, for a large part of the use of these plastic bags are used by citizens and especially common man in their everyday activities. Therefore awareness and education campaign on the negative impact over the plastic bags is needed. It is evidenced that Tanzania island of Pemba have successes to eradicate plastic bags in Pemba through these awareness campaigns conducted through media and public gathering. For our case then I suggest the awareness and education campaigns through mass media, social networks, load sign boards in important areas like bus stand, in public transport,. These campaigns will open awareness to public on negative impact of plastic bags. Also these campaigns should be done through youth group, academic institutions and social groups of other things.

Absence of serious levy to users, distributors, manufacturers, and sellers of those plastic bags. In other countries policy has been developed to impose levy and serious levy to those users of plastic bags. Therefore the government needs to be committed against plastic bags. Imposition of strict policy and of course serious administration of the policy will discourage the production, use and distribution of plastic bags. To argue in our country today plastic bags are distributed for free and sometime taken as take away means.

Commitment of the government, government on this case therefore is supposed to be at the frontline of struggle. And its interventions include budget interventions, and enforcement of policy and rules against plastic bags.

CONCLUSION.

In concluding the debate we need to focus and launch serious campaigns against plastic bags. The government both the central government and the local governmental need to feel concern with environmental issues. The issues is not merely environmental but also humanistic destructives, in some areas plastic bags has caused flood, broken up water ways, trenches, pollute our water bodies, kill aquatic organisms , and also destruct environmental outlook. But economically also plastic bags hinder the sector has we need a lot of non renewable natural resources for production of those bags.