The National Environment Management Authority has expressed an immediate need for a legislation inducing a total ban to single use plastics that have caused adverse effects to the environment and human lives, its here that they have implore government to expedite the legal proccess

These say the country loses billions to tackle the adverse effects emanating from the use of single use plastics

Uganda and the ban on single-use plastics has become an interminable challenge posing numerous risks including environmental degradation, marine pollution and health-related risks for example cancer and also retarding the fight against malaria due to poor drainage that causes floods and subsequently stagnant water

But why has the country time and again lost the battle to ban the use of single-use plastics? The Executive Director of NEMA Dr Akankwasah Barirega says Uganda has failed to do away with the ban due to lack of legislation with now the country losing billions of funds to tackle the ripple effects its here he called on government to expedite the legal process

Uganda can only collect 58% of the 600 tones of single-use plastics produced daily with the rest 42% finding its way to the environment with Kampala alone contributing 132,000 metric tones of plastic waste annually and only below 9% recycled

Barirega says The 42% uncollected plastic waste that finds its way to the environment that's to say lakes, rivers, swamps, and water channels clog and this is the reason the country is grappling with floods in Kampala.

The minister for water and environment Sam Cheptoris has revealed that Kampala Capital City Authority loses over 6.4 bn annually used to unclog water channels funds that could have been used for other areas like Health and education hence the need for legislation

The ED of NEMA says the current legislation is not forthcoming making enforcement very hard, he says they can only enforce Plastic factories where they can measure the micron content of the plastic which is impossible during retail but even then some factories manufacture the illegal bags at night

Uganda is hosting the Africa Group of Negotiators meeting for the process dubbed inter-governmental negotiating committee to develop a legally binding treaty on control of plastic pollution to last for a week. The meeting brings negotiators from different African countries to come up with a solid position on the control of plastics before advancing to a global stage