A new bill that completely bans the use of single-use plastic shopping bags for both commercial and household purposes is expected to be tabled to the Council of Ministers this week.

Drafted by the Environment, Forest & Climate Change Commission, the draft proclamation was sent to the Office of the Attorney General, which returned the bill with comments to the Commission. The Commission scheduled to table the bill to the Council of Ministers at the end of this week.

On top of banning the production, import and usage of disposable plastic shopping bags, the bill suggests industries that use plastic as packaging material obtain a license from the Commission.

“This comes as a condition for the manufacturers or importers to take on the full responsibility of controlling the life cycle of the plastic waste produced,” said Ayele Hegena (PhD), director general for policy, law, and standards research development at the Commission.

“Unless the producers or importers have presided over the control of the environmental impact of the plastic," said Ayele, "their license shall be revoked by the Authority."

It also proposed that water bottlers embark upon recycling or partake with other recyclers to mitigate the impact of the negative externalities.

Bottlers are required to establish a value chain from the production, collection, recycling and export or reuse of the end material. In the former proclamation of solid waste management, tin cans and glass containers were the only ones subjected to be involved in the value chain.

The draft law, which is expected to be legislated in the coming six months, also set forth that subjects involved in outdoor advertisement cannot operate unless they have gained authorisation from the Commission.

“It’s evident in our surrounding area filled with advertisement papers from the poles to the big billboards," Ayele said, "hence, the parties involved have to partake to extenuate the impact."

The new bill, which has been in the making for the past two years, will replace a 13-year-old directive. It fully prohibits the manufacturing or import of non-biodegradable plastic bags. It is expected to be enacted after six months of the legislation of the proclamation.

Andualem Mekonnen (PhD), an environmentalist, finds regulating the production of plastic bags to be very difficult, saying that it can be made at a household level.

“Hence, the ban is long overdue, considering the overwhelming environmental impact it had on the country,” said Andualem.