Zambia must ban plastic carrier bags, insists Integrated Community Litter Initiative National Chairperson Pascal Chikumbi

By Luswepo Mutepuka

The Integrated Community Litter Initiative (ICALI) National Chairperson Pascal Chikumbi has called for a total ban of plastics countrywide by the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry a means of maintaining a clean and green environment.

Noting the undegrading nature of plastics, Mr. Chikumbi says encouraging paper carrier bags and wrappers is the only way the country can save the environment from mounting mountains of used plastic waste pollution.

Noting Zambia’s lack of capacity to clean the environment through plastic recycling, Chikumbi expressed dismay at the continued disposal of waste in both public and private institutions located in the Central Business Districts (CBD’s) and residential townships.

Pascal Chikumbi with wife

Despite the noted increase in unregulated disposal of plastic waste, Mr. Chikumbi says the Integrated Community Litter Initiative continues sensitizing Members of the public as changing bad habits takes time before a positive transformation can occur.

Mr. Chikumbi said in an interview in Lusaka that the municipality has become dirty because some people have continued disposing of litter in unregulated places, defying environment protection measures announced by President Edgar Chagwa Lungu when he addressed the on the Progress made in the application of the National Values and Principles delivered to the Fourth Session of the Twelfth National Assembly on Friday, 6th March 2020.

The Integrated Community Litter Initiative National Chairperson says there is need for stakeholders’ engagement to increase cleanliness compliance by people at domestic and commercial level in accordance of guidelines of the Ministry of Health, under Health Minister Dr. Chitalu Chilufya.

Dr. Chitalu Chilufya is Zambia’s Health Minister