Manufacturers using these non-recycled paper bags for packaging of edible items need to think about their decisions
KARACHI: The rising political chaos across the country has sidelined some of the important issues that need to be tackled on an urgent basis. One such issue is the use of cement bags for packaging of food items, such as flour, rice and maize. It is highly disappointing to see that despite the increasing number of health concerns regarding them, manufacturers adapt to such malpractices and tend to enhance health problems for consumers.
Over 300 million cement bags are produced in the country every year and once they have been consumed, majority of them are utilised by these factories to develop paper bags, which are then used in the packaging of edible items. As a result of this, severe diseases of the stomach, as well as kidney stones, and even cancer can be caused amongst countless people.
The people of Pakistan are already overburdened with a lot of stress caused by economic and political factors and following such unhealthy practices will only serve to open a Pandora’s box of health-related stress and worries. Hence, the manufacturers using these non-recycled paper bags for packaging of edible items need to think about their decisions and act accordingly because they are making profits at the cost of innocent lives.
Dr Javeriah Jaleel
Published in The Express Tribune, October 15th, 2014.
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