Environmentalists petition gov’t over high taxes on plastic recycling machines

Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Environment activists are appealing to the government for tax exemptions on the machinery they import to support their operations.

Martha Nalukenge, the Sales and Communications Officer at EcoBrix-Masaka Recycling Initiative; a local volunteers’ association that promotes proper disposal and management of plastic waste, says the taxes levied on the equipment imported to support their operations impede environmental protection efforts.

She indicates that during the importation of the machinery needed in the recycling of plastic wastes, the Uganda Revenue Authority-URA charges them with heavy taxes, hence becoming a limitation to their operations yet they are a nonprofit venture.

She argues that the high import taxes on their machinery limit their capacity to innovate different items out of solid wastes because it requires them to make substantial expenses they can hardly afford.

Nalukenge indicates they considering mobilizing the different community stakeholders to support their petition in which they intend to engage the government to waive taxes on the waste recycling machinery that is imported into the country.

Andrew Bownds, the Chief Executive Officer at EcoBrixs indicates that the money they incur in taxes would be used to expand their production capacity by importing more recycling equipment and hiring more solid waste collectors, hence substantially contributing to the general objective of mitigating climate change effects.

According to him, the organization is paying close to 50 percent of the equipment cost into taxes, which is a serious frustration to their efforts.

Besides the deterrent taxes, Nalukenge argues that they are facing an uphill task of convincing the elite class of people to proper solid waste management practices in their communities.

She prefers that the government integrate nature conservation campaigns into the school’s education curriculum as a strategic intervention to mitigate climate change effects.

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