Banned plastic bags being used at Laqere and Makoi markets

Some vendors at the Laqere and Makoi markets in the Nasinu area were seen using single-use plastic bags yesterday despite the ban from the 1st of January this year.

There was a stall in one of the markets that sold only plastic bags of different varieties along with the banned single-use plastic bags.

When questioned by Legend FM News on why he was selling these banned bags, the vendor said they were readily available at the Suva Market.

The Environment Management Act 2005 section 45A clearly states that the sale and use of plastic bags that are less than 50 microns thick are prohibited.

A vendor from Ra selling at one of the markets said even though those particular plastic bags were banned, they couldn’t do much because they were readily available and were convenient.

Another vendor says she had bought the plastic bags in bulk and has been trying to finish her bags.

The vendor says she bought these single-use plastic bags with hard earned cash and feels that she has the right to use it until its finished.

She says that the new plastic bag prices were expensive and sometimes she could not make any profit because more money went towards buying bags.

The vendor says before the price of 100 plastic bags was $5 and now it has moved up to $25.

We have sent questions to the Ministry for Environment and are awaiting their response.