No more selling liquor in plastic bottles—MBS
The Drug Fight Malawi has hailed a decision by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) to implementation a ban on selling of liquor in plastic containers describing it as a step towards the implementation of the National Alcohol Policy enacted in January 2016.
MBS banned packing of spirits in sachets and plastic bottles in July 2010 but some manufacturers of the liquor and producers of plastic bottles obtained a court injunction that restricted MBS from implementing the ban.
However, the implementation follows a High Court of Malawi ruling on January 4 this year in favour of MBS that manufacturing, packaging, distribution and sale of liquor in sachets and plastic bottles is illegal in Malawi.
Speaking in an interview on Tuesday, executive director for Drug Fight Malawi Nelson Zakeyu said the ban will help save lives of Malawians. He said such distils are usually cheap and do not meet the required standards thereby posing a danger to life.
“Some of these distils are not safe for human consumption with alcohol content as high as 47 percent. This can damage vital organs including the brain, liver and kidneys and also cause deformation of the face,” Zakeyu said.
According to Zakeyu said the unfortunate thing is that such liquor is mostly consumed by the youth who are supposed to be most productive.
In a statement issued on Monday, MBS Director General Davlin Chokazinga said the bureau and some law enforcing agencies will take appropriate action in accordance with the law including confiscation of products that are not complying with the MBS Act Cap 51:02 as stipulated in MS 210 (1990).
He added that MBS will intensify market surveillance activities throughout the country. Anyone from vendors to shop owners selling the liquor will be penalised.
“We wish to inform the general public and all manufacturers of spirituous liquor to immediately comply with spirits-Specification which stipulates that spirits shall be packed in clean glass bottles. In this regard the MBS is expecting compliance by liquor manufacturers as a sign that they are law abiding corporate citizens,” Chokazinga said.
MBS has also advised all manufacturers that are not registered and approved by the bureau to do so as all products that are not registered and approved by the MBS will not be allowed on the Malawi market.
