, the lower chamber of parliament, approved a bill that bans single-use plastic bags.){kind=link}
The Ethiopian House of Peoples’ Representatives (HoPR), the lower chamber of parliament, approved a bill that bans single-use plastic bags.
Minister of environment, forest, and climate change, Gemedo Dalle said during a press briefing following the parliamentary vote, “This is a necessary and long-overdue step.
“Plastic pollution is choking our rivers, poisoning livestock, and polluting farmlands. Ethiopia must act now before it becomes unmanageable,” Dalle said.
Under the new law, individuals found using or distributing single-use plastic bags face fines of up to 5,000 Ethiopian birr (about 38.7 U.S. dollars), while manufacturers, importers, and marketers could face steeper penalties or suspension of licenses.
Ahead of the parliamentary vote, it was noted that a nationwide public awareness campaign will be launched shortly, aiming to educate citizens about the details of the new law.
According to data obtained from the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, plastic bags constitute 46 percent of the plastic waste generated by the public in the East African country.
Xinhua/Kamila