Minister Nzovu says govt enhancing regulation for better waste management by manufacturers

Government has said that it was in the process of enhancing the Extended Producer Responsibility Regulations (EPR) to compel all manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of various products be more responsible for the waste management.

Ministry of Green Economy and Environment is currently implementing the EPR which limits the production of single use plastic carrier bags of less than 30 microns and thin flat bags.

Its minister, Collins Nzovu, announced during the Chief Executive Officer’s Breakfast Meeting in Lusaka on Wednesday that government was now in the process of enhancing the project.

Nzovu explained that this was to compel all manufacturers, distributors and suppliers of various products and items on the market to be responsible for creating appropriate infrastructure to recycle their waste to reduce pollution.

“Government has continued to monitor the implementation of the EPR. In addition, Zambia environmental management agency has intensified the promotion of the extended producer responsibility regulation statutory instrument No. 65 of 2018.

“Further my ministry has commenced the process of developing a green growth strategy aimed at transitioning to circular economy which promotes sustainable production and consumption,” he said.

He noted that there had been a growing concern about the accumulation of waste around Zambia and that it was important to implore collaborative efforts in the fight against waste.

Nzovu said the rate at which waste was accumulating in Zambia was worrying.

“Therefore, important for the private sector to support government efforts of managing waste by coming up with strategies that will encourage sustainable practices throughout the entire cycle of a product,” he said.

The Zambia Association of Manufactures (ZAM) president, Ashu Sagar, said with significant economic and societal benefits, the ability to retain waste within the economic cycle had proved invaluable to societies around the world.

Sagar said with EPR, manufactures had a tool to reverse the worrying trends of plastic pollution.

“What would this entail? diverse approaches have been employed the world over. in some countries, manufacturers have taken the lead in setting up recycling plants on-site.

“Alternatively, firms could opt to use more easily recyclable materials such as glass, aluminium cans or paper.

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