The House of Representatives, Tuesday, passed a bill prohibiting the use of plastic bags by individuals and manufacturing companies in the country.
It also addressed waste management and protection of the environment.
According to the bill, any person found guilty of the offences above shall be liable upon conviction to a fine not exceeding N500,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or to both such fine and imprisonment.
It also prescribes a fine of N5 million to companies guilty of the aforementioned offences.
This development followed the consideration of a bill sponsored by Hon. Edward Pwajok.
The Plastic bag prohibition bill provides for: “an act to prohibit the use, manufacture and importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging in order to address harmful impacts to oceans, rivers, lakes, forests, environment as well as human beings and also to relieve pressure on landfills and waste management and for other related matters.”
The bill states that a retailer shall offer a paper bag to the customer at a point of sale.
It also added that it was an offence to fail to provide customers with paper bags.
The bill emphasised that manufacturing plastic bags for the purpose of selling, and importing plastic bags whether as a carryout bag or for sale amounts to an offence.
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