Some manufacturers and retailers are trying to undermine the new regulations governing the use of thicker, recyclable plastic bags, Environment Minister Valli Moosa said on Tuesday.
In a statement released following a meeting between himself and provincial environment members of the executive committee (MECs), he warned that government intended to bring such behaviour to an end.
”Overall, the public, retailers and manufacturers have responded very well to the introduction and implementation of regulations and [an] agreement which requires the usage of thicker recyclable bags.
”Members of the public have also made full use of the hotline introduced… to report cases where the regulations are not adhered to,” he said.
However, it had been noted ”that a handful of manufacturers and retailers are attempting to undermine the regulations”.
”Government will follow them up to require that they bring such behaviour to an end.”
On the recycling of tyres, Moosa said that before the end of the year, government would introduce regulations to make this happen.
”The intention is to add economic value to the tyres, by charging a deposit when purchasing the tyres.
”This will be reimbursed at the time the tyre is returned for recycling.”
Moosa said the meeting had also examined a report on genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in South Africa.
It had resolved there was a need to strengthen regulations governing GMOs, and that the public needed to be better informed about goods made out of GMO products.
Serious consideration needed to be placed on the issue of labelling of GMO products, he said. – Sapa