The Ministry of Land and Environment says a consultation and laboratory analysis is underway for the adoption of a new form of biodegradable plastic bag, made from organic material, which after use can be dissolved in hot water or exposed to heat for a fortnight.
The hot water in which the plastic is dissolved can later be used to irrigate spaces such as gardens or lawns in backyards or simply poured away. However, there is still a strong need for further analyses to ascertain the content of the water after the dissolution of the plastic.
The “good news” was revealed by the Permanent Secretary of the MTA, Emília Fumo, on the sidelines of the festivities of the World Clean-up Day, in Maputo, during the cleaning days along the city beaches.
According to Fumo, every year the country generates about eight million tons of plastic that is discarded in various places. But the tiny plastic continues to be the great cause for concern, because many times it is not reused. So the expectation is that with the adoption of the biodegradable bag the problem will be solved.
“We are now thinking together with civil society and the economic confederations on how we can move towards the project, with a view to eliminating the danger caused by the plastic bag to the environment,” said Fumo.