Light-weight plastics sold openly

Since the ban on the production, distribution and use in April 2014, it is still traders favourite.

Light-weight plastic bags of 60 microns and below have staged their comeback in most markets. Since the April 24th Ministerial Order banned the production, distribution and use as a result of the adverse effects it causes, traders still use it to parcel items like groundnuts, rice, salt and sugar.

Households on their part parcel fish and meat for adequate conservation in the refrigerator and wrap hot ‘corn fufu’ and raw water fufu’ in the plastics which are said to cause health hazards.

According to a trader at the Sandaga market, the prescribed plastic of more than 60 microns are scarce because weak demand subsequently resulted to a drop in production. Customers say though the prescribed plastics are environmental friendly since they can be easily collected and even reused, the texture (too hard) is the problem.

To another trader, the light-weight plastics are solicited because it is much and less expensive than the prescribed type that is hard to come by nowadays. A packet of 100 white plastic bags cost between FCFA 250 and 300 depending on clients bargaining power while the same quantity of heavy-weight plastic bags cost FCFA 500 and above.

Immediately after the ban in April 2014, manufacturers stopped production but few weeks later, the plastics were spotted in some markets with traders and hawkers selling in hiding and more expensive than before. Most of them were seen hanging big black plastic bags on their shoulder containing uncountable packets of such plastics.

They knew their customers and sold using sign language and facial expression for fear of secret price and quality control agents. Today, the rhythm has changed with traders shouting at the top of their voices and brandishing the light-weight plastics to prospective buyers with impunity.

As to where they get their supplies, one of the traders said since the ban, the over 20 plastic producing companies in the economic capital apply the new regulations and that the light-weight plastic bags are smuggled into the country from neighbouring Nigeria.