Ban the plastic, share the load, save the planet – Nandi-Ndaitwah

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to tackling plastic pollution and urges private sector support for sustainable waste management.

This is in observing World Environment Day on Thursday.

The president calls on the private sector to also do their part by investing in waste collection, sorting, and recycling infrastructure.

“The proliferation of plastic waste poses a growing threat to our ecosystems, marine life, human health, and long-term sustainability,” she says.

Private sector investment would ease the burden on municipalities and households, as well as creating jobs and opportunities for green entrepreneurship.

Nandi-Ndaitwah has detailed some of the measures the government is taking, including participating in international negotiations, to introduce a legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

She says single-use plastics are already banned in national parks.

Measures to make this ban more easily enforceable are currently being reviewed, and the government remains committed to phasing out these plastics entirely, she says.

“Environmental clubs, educational materials, and youth engagement initiatives are being rolled out to build a generation of environmentally responsible citizens. The protection of our environment is not the responsibility of government alone, it is a shared obligation,” Nandi-Ndaitwah says.

This year’s World Environment Day is observed under the theme ‘Putting an End to Plastic Pollution’.

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