South Africa plastic bag tax arrives to mixed reaction

There has been a deal of media interest in the new plastic bag tax, introduced by the South African Government early in May. Here are some extracts (some before the tax was introduced, some after) from articles by the SA Broadcasting Corporation:



South Africans not happy to pay for plastic bags



From Friday, the new plastic bag legislation will come into effect and consumers will be expected to buy their own bags. The legislation, which requires manufacturers to produce thicker plastic bags that last longer, is to promote repeated use of the bags and encourage recycling. All retailers are required to comply with the new legislation. Customers will have a choice of buying the new government-regulated bags, shopping with no bags or taking their own bags. The price of a bag ranges from 25 to 46 cents depending on its size.



Confusion among consumers



A number of people interviewed at supermarkets in Johannesburg were not aware of the new law and what it meant. “It’s not right they must allow us to bring our own bags,” said gardener Johannes Majomane. He said he had heard about the regulations, but did not understand what they meant. “I am confused by it, I think I will rather carry my own groceries.” Simon Molele, who is also a gardener, said: “I did not know that I have to pay for plastic bags. This is a bad idea. It’s wrong because it will just cost us more money.” Celia Theart, a social worker, disagreed with most of the consumers interviewed. “I think it’s a good idea. (The new legislation) on plastic bags is environmentally friendly. In the beginning it might be a bit of a discomfort because people might forget their bags at home when they go shopping, but they will get used to it.”



A number of supermarkets have been carrying advertisements outlining the reasons for the change. Some had boards illustrating samples of different sizes of the new bags and their prices. Phindile Makwakwa, a spokesperson for the department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, said some of the money made off the plastic bags would be used to run the operations of a non-profit company which would manage the recycling of the plastic bags. “This company will encourage the recycling of plastic bags and will set up different points across the country where bags can be dropped off and recycled,” she said.



The company was set up by business and would be monitored by the government. Supermarket chains have also said that because they will no longer be paying for the manufacture of the bags, it will allow them to reduce the prices of food through discounts.



Plastic workers get to keep their jobs



Government’s new plastic bag regulations came into effect on Friday, and consumers (especially in cities) seem up to the changes. Fears that the regulations could cost workers in the plastic bag manufacturing industry their jobs have also been largely removed. Earlier estimations had put the figure of job losses at around 80,000 jobs.



Tanya van Meerlus, the trade and industry policy co-ordinator at the trade union federation Cosatu, says the required thickness of plastic bags was set at 80 microns, more than double the thickness of the 30 micron thick plastic that is used now, and this would have resulted in many workers losing their jobs. The union held talks with government and business and they decided on the thinner bags to retain the jobs. The same machinery can be used to make the new plastic bags.



The new regulation encourages recycling as consumers can re-use their bags. Another concern has been the cost factor, which Van Meerlus says could addressed through transparency about what happens to the money paid by the customer for the bags.



Mixed reactions as plastic bags cease to operate



From today, plastic bags as we have come to know them are banned. The reduction of waste is central to the ban. As South Africa’s commercial capital, Gauteng produces five