BY BEN BILUA
THE use of plastic bags is expected to be banned soon as government begins tough measures on waste management.
Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Disaster Management and Meteorology Titus Fika made the announcement during the launching of Solomon Island Recyclers and Waste Management Association 10-year strategic plan last week.
He said amendment has been made to the Environment Act to ban the single use of plastic bags.
Fika said the decision was made to compliment efforts towards addressing solid waste issue in the country.
He said the flow of wastes to the natural environment is so alarming that immediate intervention should be carried out to mitigate the issue.
Fika adds that solid wastes shipped to the islands on annual basis is another ongoing issue that needs to be stopped.
“We still need to make significant and drastic improvements to waste and pollution management in the country because our streets, rivers, streams and sea are littered with all of waste disposed inappropriately,” he said.
Fika said the recent heavy rain exposes the weakness of our waste management system and the indifferent attitude of the public at large towards waste management.
He said close collaborations between provincial governments, Honiara City Council and the National Government is paramount to address the waste management.
