The decision to remove the injunction that had stopped the ban since 2021 was made by the Supreme Court, which led to the current scenario.
Ministry reaffirmation on plastic ban
Dr. Yusuf Mkungula, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Natural Resources, reaffirmed that the prohibition will be vigorously enforced and that no parties—including businesses that have previously produced significant amounts of thin plastics—will be exempt.
Protection towards clean environment
According to Mkungula, the country will no longer utilize thin plastics at all because of the enforcement of the law.
The Malawi Environment Protection Authority’s (MEPA) chair, Dr. Robert Kafakoma, praised the move and said that MEPA will collaborate with interested parties to build a clean and healthy environment for everybody.
The goal of the ban, according to Kafakoma, is to lessen plastic waste and encourage a cleaner environment in Malawi by outlawing the production, distribution, sale, export, and import of thin plastic bags that are smaller than 60 microns in size.
Mkungula pointed out that thin plastic can be dangerous if improperly disposed of and takes a long time to break down, posing a risk to the environment and public health.
According to him, businesses that manufacture thin plastics in the nation with fewer than 60 microns are breaking the law and will face consequences.
“Enabler 7 on environmental sustainability, which states that Malawi shall have a safe, clean, secure, and sustainable environment, is well-aligned with this,” Mkungula said of the Malawi 2063 Vision.
When carrying groceries and other stuff, he advised Malawians to adopt environmentally friendly, reused, and recyclable materials.
On June 19, 2024, Golden Plastics Limited withdrew an injunction, and on June 20, the Supreme Court of Appeal’s full bench rejected the case.
