The Ministry of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (MINEPDED) has seized about 215.39 tons of non-biodegradable plastics in all the ten Regions.
By Anu Paul Nkeze
These statistics were made known recently during a one-day meeting at the Environmental Documentation Centre in Yaounde to assess the progress on the ban on plastics.
Speaking during the meeting, the representative of Customs said they have witnessed a drop in the importation of plastics in the last two months.
He, however, said some importers are using illegal routes to bring the products into the country.
Meanwhile, officials complained of limited means of transport to carry out routine checks.
They said control in some Regions is still limited to urban centres because of the enclaved nature of some areas in the South West, East, Adamawa, and North West Regions.
Generally, more efforts and strategies are still needed to enable traders and the population to comply with the text in force.
It was agreed that stringent measures be put in place to recycle the seized plastics lest they get back into circulation if some corrupt officials of the MINEPDED form a synergy to resell the plastics.
The MINEPDED boss, Hele Pierre, said “banning plastics is for the good of all Cameroonians. We must explore all strategies to ensure that anybody not respecting the text does not escape the axe of the law. This is because I know some unscrupulous traders continue to look for tricks to supply their customers in hiding.”
He asked his collaborators to continue sending staff to markets and travel agencies for control and increase vigilance at the borders. He also cautioned on the size of plastics
permitted to circulate equal to or more than 60 microms.
The Minister insisted that some producers still need to be sensitized about the microm of plastics permitted by the law given that there is still some mix-up amongst them.
Concerning alternatives, Hele Pierre called on the public to make proposals to the government so that it can work with enterprises to ensure that production of non-biodegradable plastics is done on a large scale to satisfy the public.
