The government has insisted it will not extend the deadline to end the manufacturing, selling and using of single-use plastic items despite pleas from manufacturers. Manufacturers of single-use plastic products are appealing for more time to change the businesses into eco-friendly ventures. Their request comes ahead of the deadline to stop the production of single-use plastics, which were outlawed in September 2019, in an ambitious bid to curb plastic waste. The move aims to protect the environment. During a recent inspection in the City of Kigali, Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) ordered all wholesalers and retailers to empty their stocks of banned single-use plastic products within three months. Producer are supposed to end the manufacturing of these items on September 23 this year. However, they have asked REMA to consider extending the deadlines, citing the Covid-19 challenges have made it hard for them to change their business operations. Anitha Urayeneza, the Managing Director of NBG Ltd that produces drinking straws, said the extension of the grace period could potentially help to diversify their business into environmental friendly operations, shore up their revenues and pay back bank loans. “We faced many challenges,” he says, “Covid-19 has severely affected our operations.” The manufacturers are preparing to call for a meeting with REMA. Top on their wish list is to ask the government to extend the grace period of phasing out the production of single-plastics by an extra three years. This, they argue, will give them time to collect the used plastics for recycling and also mobilise resources to acquire the technology to invest in eco-friendly businesses. NBG Ltd, which says it invested Rwf250 million to start the factory four years ago says it is now seeking for at least Rwf600 million to invest in new technology to produce eco-friendly straws. Before the Covid-19 outbreak, the company was producing 2.4 million drinking straws every day. Faustin Munyazikwiye, the Deputy Director-General of REMA, reiterated the government stance on the ban, saying businesses were given a grace period of two years, which must be respected. Some of them, he added, are exporters. “The grace period was also meant to help them execute export market contracts they had signed,” he said, adding that the importation of such products was totally banned. According to REMA, a manufacturer of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to the closure of the activity, dispossession of those items and an administrative fine of Rwf10 million. Importers of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items is liable to the dispossession of those items and a fine equivalent to ten times the value of those items. A wholesaler is liable to an administrative fine of Rwf700,000 and dispossession of such items. A retailer is liable to a fine Rwf300,000 and dispossession of the products. In case of recidivism, the fine is doubled. Retailers in different inspected shops requested REMA to clarify and publish the list of banned plastic items and those in need of special authorization and the procedures. They also requested to scale up investments to increase alternatives on the local market. Environmental levy bill in the offing Munyazikwiye, however, added products that imported packaged in plastic packages are allowed but will soon start to pay environmental levies. “The law will suggest environmental levies on all imported products packaged in plastics. The money will help the country to manage such plastic waste through collection and recycling,” he said. “The law to approve the levy has not yet been approved by concerned institutions but it is in offing.”
