Bor municipality authorities ban use of plastic bags

September 27, 2015(BOR) – Authorities in South Sudan’s Jonglei state capital have started implementing an internal order that banned the use of plastics bags in Bor town.

Jacob Pach, a public health official in Bor municipality, urged town residents and businesses to avoid the illegal use of plastic-bags and other plastic materials which he considered to be dangerous pollutants that kill animals besides being hard to degrade.

He said most domestic animals like cows, goats and sheep were all over town and could easily die if they consumed the pastic-bags, which are improperly disposed.

“At these times there is nothing like a plastic bags because we have given strict orders to custom authorizes to prevent them from Juba,” said Pach.

A truck loaded with plastic bags was early this month blocked from entering Bor town.

The order also provides that anyone violating the new law be fined SSP 500 (about $50).

Pach said if anyone hired a vehicle with polythene bags, municipal authorities should ensure they are not allowed in to Bor town.

“My advice to the people is if they still have plastic bags, please take it to garbage places or set it on fire”, he urged.

The new directive came days after people living at a dumping site in Makuach payam demanded that the waste disposal ground be relocated.

(ST)