Gideon Gatpan, an EALA representative from South Sudan and chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources, said the proposed law aims to regulate disposable plastics that are used once and discarded.

Gatpan spoke during a plenary session focused on the East African Community (EAC) budget, where members are also discussing draft laws for future sittings.

“Our committee is working on a bill on single-use plastics, so we are going to create a ban across the region,” he said.

He said the committee is also drafting other legislation, including a bill on agroecology, as well as laws on seed and plant varieties within the EAC. In addition, deliberations have been concluded on highly hazardous pesticides, with plans to introduce a bill to regulate their use.

“These are the major bills we are working on now, but they will not be tabled in this plenary because it is a budget session,” he said.

The current session is reviewing the Committee on Accounts Report, Audit Report, and the Appropriation Bill. Gatpan said the EAC budget is expected to be passed by the end of the month, after which the assembly will return to legislative and oversight work.

On the proposed plastics ban, Gatpan said single-use plastics pose environmental challenges due to their disposal and movement across borders.

“These plastics do not respect borders,” he said, noting that while some countries have policies in place, gaps in enforcement allow plastic waste to move from one country to another.

He said the planned law will introduce a regional enforcement mechanism to control production, trade, and use of such materials. However, exemptions may be made for specific uses, including medical packaging, under defined procedures.

The proposal also includes provisions for extended producer responsibility, requiring manufacturers and traders to take part in managing plastic waste.

Gatpan said the legislation is part of wider efforts by the East African Community to address environmental concerns through regional action.