News / National
Government bans airtime recharge scratch cards
21 Dec 2015 at 05:16hrs | Views
Government is planning to ban airtime recharge scratch cards and has given mobile phone companies six months to phase them out.
Mobile phone companies should promote technologies that can be used instead of recharge cards saying they are fuelling litter.
Fines for littering of up to level 3 ($20) and level 14 ($5 000) for illegal dumping would be imposed, while Government was also working on ways to introduce mandatory community service for everyone caught on the wrong side.
However, hundreds of thousands of youths who had found employment in airtime recharge cards selling business.
Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri urged mobile telecommunication companies to adopt electronic recharging systems. "My ministry has noted with concern that mobile companies have ignored the extended producer responsibility principle by leaving the responsibility of cleaning scratched juice cards littered in streets and pavements to local authorities," she said.
She said manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of disposal diapers should submit an "environmental friendly action plan" within six months to deal with the challenge.
Failure to do so, she said, would see a levy being introduced on all disposable diapers that have seen users dumping them everywhere.
Mobile phone companies should promote technologies that can be used instead of recharge cards saying they are fuelling litter.
Fines for littering of up to level 3 ($20) and level 14 ($5 000) for illegal dumping would be imposed, while Government was also working on ways to introduce mandatory community service for everyone caught on the wrong side.
Environment, Water and Climate Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri urged mobile telecommunication companies to adopt electronic recharging systems. "My ministry has noted with concern that mobile companies have ignored the extended producer responsibility principle by leaving the responsibility of cleaning scratched juice cards littered in streets and pavements to local authorities," she said.
She said manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers of disposal diapers should submit an "environmental friendly action plan" within six months to deal with the challenge.
Failure to do so, she said, would see a levy being introduced on all disposable diapers that have seen users dumping them everywhere.
Source - Byo24News
