Morocco Proposes Stricter Penalties for Plastic Bag Use in New Draft Law

According to the newspaper Al Massae, the Ministry of Industry has just proposed a new draft law toughening sanctions against those who use plastic bags, acknowledging at the same time its failure to enforce the "Zero Mika" law.

Fines ranging from 2,000 to 500,000 dirhams are thus planned for people selling, storing or distributing plastic bags. Penalties are also planned for people using, possessing or giving away these bags.

Those who do not have the authorization of the Ministry of Industry for their manufacture are liable to a fine between 10,000 and 100,000 dirhams, specifies the same source, according to which the inspectors will have the possibility to issue fines.

Passed in November 2015, the law provides for heavy fines for any offender. It was first the ecological aspect and the harmful effects on health that prevailed to encourage parliamentarians to vote in favor of this new measure.