Page 40 - Plastics News June 2021

internAtionAL news

Project worth Rwf690 Million EuPC head bemoans ‘wasted

to Manage Single-Use Plastics opportunity’ with SUP Directive
Launched guidelines

he “long-awaited” Single-Use Plastics Directive
he Private Sector Federation (PSF) is set to contribute
Ta project worth (rawandian franc) Rwf 690.9 million TGuidelines have resulted in a “long list of
for collecting, transportation, disposal and recycling of inconsistencies and questions unanswered”, according
single-use plastics in the next five years in Rawanda Africa. to the managing director of European Plastics Converters
The project dubbed "Sustainable Management of single- (EuPC).After almost one year of delays, the guidelines
use Plastics Project" was launched as Rwanda celebrated
World Environment Day. The day was held under the
theme "Ecosystem Restoration". The new development
is in line with Law N° 17/2019 of 10/08/2019 relating to
the prohibition of manufacturing, importation, use and
sale of plastic carry bags and single-use plastic items. The
law aims to protect the environment, the economy and
the health of the people from throwaway plastics. Under
the project PSF will support resource mobilization from
the private sector institutions and make sure that every
eligible institution/company contributes on time.Jeanne
d'Arc Mujawamariya the Minister of Environment said that
the project is part of a solution to prevent and reverse the
loss of biodiversity caused by plastic pollution saying it
also falls within Rwanda National Environment and Climate
Change Policy which sets out to promote integrated were finally published at the end of May 2021, with
pollution control and waste management. She said that the document slated to become the handbook for the
despite the ecosystem services supporting human life in activities of both national and European legislators in
all development Sectors, critical ecosystems in Rwanda the implementation of the Directive. The delay has
such as wetlands, forests and water sources face a lot of already resulted in the first signs of scattered and
pressure especially with pollution, introduction of invasive unharmonised transposition scenarios through out the
European Union, claims Alexandre Dangis. He believes
that most of the countries are already at an advanced
stage of the legislative process – with July’s deadline for
the transposition fast approaching – having been forced
to choose their own individual paths while waiting for
the overdue guidelines. “The Guidelines could have
been a tool to provide necessary and long-awaited
clarifications. An important opportunity has been lost,
leaving an essential part of our European industry the
uncertainty about the future of the different national
legislative frameworks. “Moreover, the Guidelines
do not provide the strongly needed clarity to create
species, climate change, habitat loss among others. She
said that Rwanda located in the Albertine rift is endowed security of planning for companies across Europe.
with some of the World's richest natural resources and According to the text of the Directive, one of the
ecosystem habitat of large number of endangered species. main drivers for the identification of a single-use food
These, she said, include the mountain gorillas, which are container should have been its ‘tendency to become
among the most charismatic flagship species in Africa. litter, due to its volume or size, in particular, single-
serve portions’.

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