Plastic levy dilemma continues

As authorities extend compliance deadline

‘MATHATO SEBOKA

MASERU – Despite environment minister Letsema Adontši’s utterances in parliament a fortnight ago that retailers selling grocery plastic bags at a price above the .90 Lisente are in breach of set prices, shop owners continue to sell the bags at discretionary charges.

Most members of the public have voiced concern over the plastic levy imposed by government, in its efforts to try and curb pollution. A Maseru resident, Sebolelo Molapo, said in an interview that she believes the plastic levy is just a manipulative approach taken by government to make money.

“This is just a way of making extra money from the buyers, we are only filing the government and the supermarkets’ pockets,” Molapo said. Reatile Ntšekhe, on the other hand, said that shops should start using paper bags instead of selling plastic.

“We are really suffering because we are already buying items in the shops and them we also have to buy plastic. I find it absurd because they are squeezing money out of us,” Ntšekhe said.

He went on to show that the problem is not only the escalating pollution in the country, but waste management.

“Government is not fixing the problem at hand which is waste management system, and not pollution. The government is not doing anything about the Tšosane dumpsite which is one of the causes of pollution but they want us to buy plastic bags,” Ntšekhe added.

Ministry of Environment’s Public Relations Officer, Kekeletso Motopi, has told Public Eye that it is the business owners’ choice as to how much they sell the plastic bags.

“It is the business owners’ discretion how much they charge per plastic, but from whatever amount is paid .90 Lisente goes to the Environment Fund,” Motopi said.  

Environment Fund Board Secretary, Advocate Limpho Sekete confirmed that the .90 Lisente plastic levy that the government imposed will be going into the Environment Fund.

“The levy is going into the Environment Fund and will be used in clean environment projects and campaigns. It will also assist individuals with recycling project ideas,” Sekete said.

He said that the ministry has issued an order directing business owners on the quality of recyclable plastics bags they have to use.

“We ordered them to make quality grocery plastic bags instead of those light plastics which were given to customers for free.

The business owners later complained that such plastics are expensive and were forced to add an extra charge above the stipulated .90 Lisente…adding their own charge above the levy,” Seketse said

He added that it is discretion of each shop owner on how much they want to sell their plastic bags, because such products are charged differently from the manufacturers.

“Many businesses are still behind in fixing their systems with the Revenue Services Lesotho, so they are still behind in modifying their system so that they can itemise and show the cost of the plastic bags levy on the slip,” Sekete said.

He added that they have given business owners a grace period to sell the light or low quality plastics on their shelves with the same levy. He said since this is a work in process, they anticipated that not all would adhere to set standards at the same time.

 “From May 31, 2025, we will be dealing with those quality plastics and we would expect all business owners to have exhausted the plastic bags in store and to fall in line with set standards.

But we will determine from the reports that we will get from the business owners on how to move forward,” Sekete added.

He also indicated that the plastic levy gives buyers options to use materials other than plastic.

“In the shops there are other alternatives to pick from, such as reusable bags. It is not easy for buyers to throw away the plastics they bought; they reuse them the next time they go shopping, which reduces pollution,” Sekete said.

He requested the public to use other alternatives to plastic which are environmentally friendly like paper bags.

The plastic levy was implemented in December 2024 with the aim to reduce plastic waste and promote sustainable alternatives.