Compliance audit in progress

 THE Conservation and Environment Protection Authority is conducting a nationwide compliance audit on the import ban on non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags. 

It includes the control on the manufacture, import and use of biodegradable plastic shopping bags.

Officers from the authority were in Lae last week inspecting and collecting samples of bags from distributors, manufacturers, importers and industries that have the environment permit to manufacture and import the bags.

Authority senior officer Ricks Tanda said they would seriously clamp down on illegal importers of the shopping bags.

“After the compliance audit on the permit holders to manufacture and import, we will target illegal importers, manufacturers, distributers and users.

“We are going to identify those illegal importers and manufacturers and they will be prosecuted,” Tanda said.

He said 11permit holders could import and manufacture shopping bags.

“The 11 companies applied and received environment permit from the CEPA to import or manufacture shopping bags.And of these, two have the permit to manufacture and eight have the permit to import,” Tanda said.