Anon-governmental organization called Malawi Creations Care Networks (MCCN) has condemned the use of thin plastics such as carrier bags saying they bring serious implications to the environment.

Speaking in Salima on Monday during a tree planting exercise organized by MCCN, the Ambassador for MCCN Bishop Brighton Vita Malasa said it is not healthy to use thin plastics considering the implications they have on people’s daily lives.

“Thin plastics take a long time to decompose so if we keep using them, they block soil air spaces which later block water from infiltrating into the soil thereby making the soil to be infertile,” said Malasa.

He therefore urged Malawians to start using baskets and other cotton bags for carrying goods other than plastics saying baskets and cotton bags are more convenient because they can be used more than once.

The Bishop said adopting the use of baskets and cotton bags will help curb the challenges thin plastics bring and also help conserve the soil.

District Environmental Officer for Salima, Samuel Chimowa said his office is yet to conduct awareness campaigns to sensitise people on the dangers of using thin plastics so that they stop using them.

Chimowa said thin plastics bring negative impacts on environment, people’s lives, livestock as well as water.

“Back then, people used to wrap things in papers and that is what motivates us to start sensitizing people on the bad effects of thin plastics knowing that the initiative is possible. We will just switch back to what we used to do some years back,” said Chimowa.

Traditional Authority Kalonga said the ban will not be difficult to enforce on the people of Salima saying it is one of the districts where basket weaving is common.

He asked authorities to act quickly on the ban so that people in the district stop using thin plastics.

During the exercise, MCCN planted about 2,000 tree seedlings.

Source:Mana