A study by the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) has said that government’s ban on thin plastics threatens 5 000 jobs and 29% of exports from the manufacturing sector.

Weighing both pros and cons, the report also says that getting rid of disposable single-use plastics will stimulate the market for more durable alternatives, such as re-useable bags and glass bottles, creating new job opportunities. “This has been observed in other countries as regulations and incentives have reduced single-use plastic usage.” says the report.

Last month, the Director of Environmental Affairs, Oliver Kumbemba said that government will start disposing off all thin plastics, with no grace period for manufacturers to finish selling stocks piled in their warehouses, since the Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal ruling in which it upheld the ban. “The case has been in court for three years and manufacturers were still producing thin plastics of less than 60 microns despite being aware of the ban,” stressed Kubemba.

In 2015, the thin plastic ban was originally instated in 2015 on the grounds that the plastics industry was not properly consulted on the implications of the ban and the harm it would do to their businesses. However, the Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, agreeing with the Government’s position that plastics manufacturers had been given sufficient warning and time to prepare for the halt on thin plastics production.