Plastic bags are the only material widely used for shopping throughout Somaliland, introduced into the country around the 1980s.  However, their use has been increasing at a fast rate and gradually replaced many other materials used for shopping in the past such as paper, cloth, baskets, etc.

 

Plastic bags used by the industries for packaging is a well-known problem, responsible for environmental pollution.  The first thing a visitor observes when coming into town from the airport is the plastic bags, with their different colours, stuck to the indigenous thorn trees.  Some people have dubbed these “Hargeisa flowers”.

 

Environmental issues have a low priority in government policies.  Foreign and local enterprises are easily able to bypass established policies and to establish harmful projects under the guide of “development” and “poverty alleviation” without regard to consequences.
 

During an interview with Mr. Mohamed, the Manager of a plastics factory in Hargeisa, he said that it was established in 2002.  Mohamed came back with his wife and six kids.  He is one of a group of shareholders of the plant.

According to the Manager, the factory employs 10 people, two of whom are Indians training the local workers in the operation of the machines.  Some of the workers have been there since the beginning and are now well trained.

 

“We imported the machines from India and Taiwan”, said Mohamed.  “The raw material comes from Saudi Arabia.”

 

The plant produces about 200,000 thin plastic bags a day.    They also produce the big shopping bags.  “We are already pushing the imported big bags out of the market”, said Mohamed.  “In the future, we anticipate expanding our market to other countries in East Africa, such as Djibouti, Ethiopia and Somalia.”

 

“The major challenge facing the plant is the question of transferring money from Somaliland to the importing countries to pay for the raw materials,” said Mohamed.

 

To a question on recycling the plastic bags scattered around the town, Mohamed answered: “It is a good idea to get all the raw materials we need from the town.  But first we need to buy a washing machine, since we have the equipment for recycling.  However, we also need help in putting together a system for collecting the plastic bags.”