The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has stated that it is establishing a robust legal and regulatory framework to support the countrywide ban on Styrofoam, also referred to as takeaway packs.
Import limitations, seizures, and fines for non-compliance are anticipated as enforcement measures.
Acting Director for Sustainability and Circular Economy at the EPA, Larry Kotoe, stated on Friday, June 26, on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily that the Authority is already initiating formal regulatory processes to guarantee the policy is completely enforceable from the moment of entry into the nation.
He said that the current legal framework stipulates penalties including fines for violators, stringent port regulations, and the seizure of prohibited goods.
Although the framework is still being completed, he added, it is anticipated to provide enforcement authority and sanctions for companies that do not comply.
Mr. Kotoe stated that in order to monitor and restrict the entry of chemicals and associated items, including polystyrene materials and their basic components, the EPA is closely collaborating with the national import control system, or ICOPS.
He went on to say that in order to better regulate imports at the ports, the Authority is using the Harmonised System (HS) codes to identify and restrict both completed Styrofoam goods and the raw materials used in their manufacture.
He states that in order to ensure complete enforcement of the ban once it goes into effect, the strategy is intended not only to target completed takeaway packs but also to prevent the importation of raw ingredients that sustain local production.
Before the complete enforcement date in January 2027, import restrictions are anticipated to start as early as three months before December, according to Mr. Kotoe.
In order to facilitate the transition, he continued, the EPA has already started working with importers and companies to gather data on import cycles.
“We are currently putting together the legal framework to back the policy direction. So definitely by December we should have the regulation clearly specifying the penalties and then also some of the enforcement powers that will come with it. Obviously you may have to confiscate and there will be fines as well,” he said.
He emphasised that stakeholder engagement will continue to guarantee compliance prior to the January 2027 implementation of the statewide polystyrene ban, even as enforcement mechanisms are reinforced.
Source: newsthemegh.com