Around 10,000 cloth bags, made in collaboration with philanthropists, were distributed in the district during different phases. Punjab Baitul Maal Minister Ajmal Cheema also participated in the distribution campaign at 19 Ramazan bazaars established in the city, in addition to Faisalabad Commissioner Mehmood Javed Bhatti, Deputy Commissioner Saifullah Dogar and Additional Deputy Commissioner Tariq Niazi.
In addition to distributing the bags, the officials also informed citizens about the benefits of using cloth bags and urged them to reduce the usage of polythene bags. They also stated that cutting down on plastic bag use can also reduce solid waste issues.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, Faisalabad Deputy Commissioner Saifullah Dogar said that according to research conducted by the solid waste department, polythene bags make up around 2% of the country’s garbage.
“These polythene bags are non-biodegradable and can last for up to 200 to 400 years. Further, they contain chemicals which are carcinogenic and contribute to lung cancer,” he explained.
If polythene bags are disposed of in landfills, they will contaminate groundwater. Currently, polythene bags are being used all across the world. Only nine per cent of polythene bags are recycled and 12% are burned in incinerators while the remaining 79% are dumped in landfill sites, he said. “The district government has forwarded a request to the Punjab government to ban the use of polythene bags in order to protect the environment,” he said.
Faisalabad Solid Waste Company Senior Manager Operations Ejaz Bandesha said that research shows that every year, 0.1 million marine animals die because of polythene bags.
He suggested that the use of polythene bags be curbed and citizens should be encouraged to use biodegradable bags. “Cloth bags are used for grocery shopping in many areas around the world,” he expressed.
He also highlighted how plastic bags become an obstacle during the process of disposing of trash. In comparison to polythene bags, cloth bags can be used repeatedly, he said.
On the other hand, Dr Yasin at the University of Agriculture Faisalabad expressed that using cloth bags is not a permanent solution. “The government needs to pay attention to biodegradable options which can be disposed of quickly,” he stated.
Jute is one such option as it is a crop grown abundantly like cotton, he explained.
Bags which are made artificially are considered to be the environment’s enemy. “If plastic bags are dumped in landfill sites, the land is affected. If they are burnt in incinerators, they produce noxious smoke which can contribute to smog,” he explained. It’s a lose-lose situation, he said.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 1st, 2019.
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