The stakeholders and role-players. There is widespread agreement and support for the need to deal with the littering problem. Many stakeholders see the regulations as a step in the right direction, but even more see them as inadequate in reducing litter. There have been calls for clarity in the regulations. Public education and awareness campaigns are very important, according to industry, in raising awareness about environmental issues.
Industry sees such campaigns as an alternative to the proposed ban, rather than complementary to it.
Machinery used at the moment to produce the normal thickness 17 m could not be adapted to produce 80 m bags so would be rendered obsolete. If the regulations come are implemented as proposed, many retailers will import the thicker 80 m bags since the local market won t have sufficient capacity. Pick n Pay estimate that the regulations will increase their costs from R27 million to R400 million, which they would be forced to pass on tho the customer. Woolworths estimate an increase of R40 million in costs, Shoprite. The Chemical, Energy, Paper, Printing, Wood and Allied Workers' Union is concerned about job losses.