From the 1st of March 2017 – and following months of negotiations – Tunisia’s Ministry of Local Affairs and Environment banned the use of lightweight plastic bags at supermarkets, a decision that received massive condemnation from plastic bag manufacturers.
The ban was put in place to curb environmental pollution caused by the bags.
Tunisia’s Minister of local affairs and environment Dr. Riadh Mouakher said he did not hesitate to sign the plastic bag ban in order to limit the negative environmental effect.
“A plastic bag is made in 1 second. It is used between 20 and 60 minutes. Then it pollutes the environment for 400 years. This is unacceptable for future generations. It’s a huge problem in Tunisia and in the Mediterranean basin. Plastics are entering the food chain and affecting human health. Many African countries have banned plastic bags. We’ve discussed the problem with the manufacturers. We took the decision to protect our environment,” he said.
Though the decision was a hard one to take even for some locals, they have now adopted new habits. In fact, it has become usual to see people shopping with reusable bags or baskets made of tissue and natural materials.
Every year, 1 billion lightweight plastic bags are used in Tunisia, but only a small quantity is recycled.
The North African country’s authorities plan to provide funds and equipment for manufacturers to make biodegradable bags. In the meantime, Activists dream of a plastic bag free country.
