Following a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court of Appeals in Malawi on 31 July 2019 in favour of government, the Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining through the Environmental Affairs Department started enforcing the ban immediately. The ruling means that production, distribution, importation and use of thin plastics (less than 60 microns) are illegal in Malawi.  

As the country celebrates this victory in the fight against plastic pollution, government recognises that more needs to be done to significantly reduce the general plastic pollution. It is against this recognition that the Environmental Affairs Department is urging all its partners to desist from using single use plastic bottles for water and other refreshments’ dispersal during meetings and other events. In line with this call, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Malawi has already started working towards eliminating use of single use plastic (bottles) at their events.

In a circular issued on 12 September, 2019 by the UNDP to its partners, the UN Resident Representative Mr. Shigeki Komatsubara “requests all esteemed service providers and partners to avoid using single-use…plastics at UNDP organised or funded events and wishes to encourage them to develop innovative and effective solutions to replace these amenities with “greener” or environmentally friendly alternatives.

The use of alternatives such as the refillable glass bottles, water dispensers is a positive direction towards reducing the organisations’ environmental foot print and contributing to the country’s sustainable development.  It is pleasing to note that some hospitality establishments such as the Ryalls Hotel in Blantyre and the Grand Palace Hotel in Mzuzu are greening their operations by providing water using greener alternatives.  

For more information on how the continued use of plastic bottles is killing our earth, click here.