Rumbek Traders Raise Concerns Over Plastic Ban, Cite Rising Packaging Costs

By Anak Dut Malual

Traders and residents in Rumbek have raised concerns over the municipal council’s ban on plastic bags and used bottles, warning that the high cost of alternative packaging and difficulties carrying goods could increase expenses for businesses and create challenges for customers.

Younis Adam Ahmed, a trader in Rumbek market, said they had received the order from the mayor and were currently implementing it.

He, however, raised concerns about the high cost of new nylon bags imported from Uganda compared with conventional polythene bags.

Mary Ajak, a resident, said the new order was not favourable to customers because using pieces of paper to package sugar and flour, or nylon bags that cannot properly hold these items, could result in people losing the goods they had purchased, especially when travelling long distances.

She added that the council should also reconsider public concerns about the orders, saying they affected not only traders but customers as well.

On Monday, Rumbek Town Mayor Kuol Mathubier Kucdhal said the ban on plastic bags was intended to protect the environment and improve sanitation in the town.

“When plastic bags are discarded after use, they do not decompose. We have seen this as a danger to the environment we live in,” Mathubier said.

He also raised concerns about the misuse of plastic bags to dispose of human waste, warning that the practice could expose residents to health risks and worsen sanitation conditions.

Mathubier said traders had been advised to use nylon bags and other environmentally friendly alternatives instead of conventional plastic bags.

The mayor also prohibited the reuse of plastic containers for selling milk, cooking oil and other liquids, citing concerns that the containers could be contaminated before being collected and resold.

Mathubier said some people collected discarded containers from residential areas and hospitals without knowing what substances they had previously contained.

“Sometimes, someone can urinate in a container and throw it away. Then someone comes, collects it, and sells it to a woman who sells milk,” he said.

He warned that milk sold in contaminated containers could put consumers’ health at risk.

The mayor also warned the business community against refusing small-denomination South Sudanese pound notes and charging customers excessive fees for mobile money transactions.

Mathubier said the council had received complaints that some mobile money agents charged commissions of up to 15 per cent instead of the reported standard rate of five per cent, particularly when customers used smaller banknotes.

He described the practice as unfair and said the council would not tolerate traders exploiting customers.

He also said the council would not introduce additional import restrictions on plastic bags, arguing that the existing ban should discourage traders from bringing the prohibited items into the town.

Rumbek Municipal Council Health Inspector James Magok Akec said milk traders had been instructed to use appropriate containers, while customers were encouraged to bring their own jugs or buckets when purchasing milk.

He said the council had introduced the measures to protect consumers and improve hygiene in the local market.

Magok also warned that plastic bags could harm children and livestock if accidentally swallowed.

“Whenever you move around the town, you may see plastic bags scattered outside residential fences. These bags make our environment dirty,” he said.

He added that children could accidentally swallow pieces of plastic bags used to package ground fish and other food products, while goats and cattle could also ingest discarded bags.

The public health inspector warned that traders who continued using the prohibited items could face fines of up to 200,000 South Sudanese pounds and legal action, including being taken to court.

“The order is effective from yesterday, and if we find someone still using these items, that person will be considered to be violating the order and may be taken to court,” Magok said.

Rumbek Municipal Council has banned the sale and use of polythene bags and the reuse of plastic bottles and containers for selling milk and other liquids, citing environmental pollution and public health risks.

The orders, which took effect on October 26, 2026, require traders to use alternative packaging materials and prohibit the reuse of containers previously used for water, soda, alcoholic drinks and other substances.