TUNISIA
Ban on single-use plastic bags from March / Complete phase-out by January 2021
Tunisia is banning supermarkets and pharmacies from using single-use plastic (SUP) bags from 1 March 2020, with plans to phase them out completely by January 2021. Reusable bags, which the government defines as having a thickness of 40 micrometres and a capacity of more than 30 litres, will remain in circulation.
 Tunisia plans to phase out plastic bags by January 2021 (Photo: Panthermedia/coonlight)
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The North African country attempted to introduce a ban in 2016, but the move met strong resistance from industry, which claimed thousands of jobs would be lost as a result – see Plasteurope.com of 11.04.2017. However, many of Tunisia’s leading supermarkets did stop issuing free bags and instead started charging for more durable bags.
Chebli Hedi, the general director of environment and quality of life at the ministry of local affairs and the environment, said Tunisia has had “serious difficulty in different areas and different cities” with plastic bags being thrown away and disturbing the environment. Unlike the previous attempt, Hedi stressed this latest ban has followed extensive consultation with the public and the commercial union Utica (www.utica.org.tn) as well as voluntary participation by most supermarkets and pharmacies. He added that negotiations continue over the wider ban, which comes into force next year.
In June 2019, environmental pressure group WWF published a report on plastics pollution in Tunisia, urging its government to prioritise “improving waste management capacity and monitoring, and encouraging consumers to reduce consumption.” According to the report, titled “Stop the plastic flood, a guide for policy makers in Tunisia”, the country recycles just 4% of plastics waste with 76% destined for landfill or open dumps. Much of the plastics litter flows into the Mediterranean Sea, and the WWF estimates about 80,000 t of this ends up in Tunisia’s environment every year “due to challenges with waste management.”
Charity International Alert (www.international-alert.org) says Tunisia’s plastics recycling system relies heavily on people that scavenge. While there are no official figures, the charity estimates there are 15,000 scavengers – or barbechas – in the country. They collect around two thirds of the country’s plastics waste.
Chebli Hedi, the general director of environment and quality of life at the ministry of local affairs and the environment, said Tunisia has had “serious difficulty in different areas and different cities” with plastic bags being thrown away and disturbing the environment. Unlike the previous attempt, Hedi stressed this latest ban has followed extensive consultation with the public and the commercial union Utica (www.utica.org.tn) as well as voluntary participation by most supermarkets and pharmacies. He added that negotiations continue over the wider ban, which comes into force next year.
In June 2019, environmental pressure group WWF published a report on plastics pollution in Tunisia, urging its government to prioritise “improving waste management capacity and monitoring, and encouraging consumers to reduce consumption.” According to the report, titled “Stop the plastic flood, a guide for policy makers in Tunisia”, the country recycles just 4% of plastics waste with 76% destined for landfill or open dumps. Much of the plastics litter flows into the Mediterranean Sea, and the WWF estimates about 80,000 t of this ends up in Tunisia’s environment every year “due to challenges with waste management.”
Charity International Alert (www.international-alert.org) says Tunisia’s plastics recycling system relies heavily on people that scavenge. While there are no official figures, the charity estimates there are 15,000 scavengers – or barbechas – in the country. They collect around two thirds of the country’s plastics waste.
25.02.2020 Plasteurope.com [244532-0]
Published on 25.02.2020