EPA distributes free bio-degradable bags

Plastic bags stamped ‘degradable’ officials claim to move a trick of traders to fool people and authorities after ban

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) distributed biodegradable plastic bags in different schools and offices on Tuesday.

The agency has received these environment friendly bags from big companies as a gift.

On the occasion, EPA Director Amin Baig said that non-degradable plastic bags were creating problems for the environment as they choked drains and gutters. He added that it was high time to replace non-degradable plastic bags with degradable ones.

He pleaded the students to create awareness amongst their parents regarding the hazards of non-degradable plastic bags and compel them to stop using it for the sake of the environment.

The usage of non-degradable plastic is high in the country despite a ban on the manufacturing, purchasing and selling of non-degradable plastic bags. According to a survey report of EPA, as many as 55 billion plastic bags are used per year in Pakistan while the amount of plastic use is increasing by 15 per cent each year. The report disclosed that more than 8,000 plastic manufacturing units are present in Pakistan with an average daily production capability of 250kg-500kg.

Thousands lose jobs due to ban on plastic bags

Further, this industry provides direct employment to some 0.2 million people whereas it is the source of bread and butter of some 0.6 million people indirectly. The challenge of weaning away from single-use plastic shoppers is great but it has to be surmpounted for the long term benefit of the country and the plant, the EPA director said.

Feigning degradability

After the federal capital imposed complete ban on single use plastic bags in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) polythene bags dubbed with a stamp of degradable thronged the markets of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

These plastic bags were the same polythene sacks which were being banned in the federal capital after August 14; however, this time these bags had a distinct stamp which was confusing the masses.

Ministry of Climate Change Senior Official told APP that these bags were spurious and non-degradable plastic bags where the ministry would take up this issue with district administration of Rawalpindi.

He said that no such move would be allowed to spoil the environment and obliterate the law imposed in ICT. "The menace of plastic bags has become a threat to our cities as it is resulting in urban flooding and also having hazardous impacts on human health," he added.

He added that the ministry's inspection team had managed to get over 95 percent compliance of the ban whereas few incidents of violation might occur in the suburbs of the federal capital. No tolerance would be observed against such elements, the official noted.

Naseem, shopkeeper that if the government was offering alternates it should have been introduced prior to the ban.

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This would have helped to ensure the ban being imposed swiftly without resistance at the public people, however, at present we mostly face problem in managing those alternate or biodegradable bags.

Interestingly, Zafar Niazi shared his experience of 35-year in doing shop keeping business. He said around 35-40 years back there was khaki paper bags used to sale culinary, non-food and eatable items which should be revived to fill the gap of plastic bags.

An environmentalist talking to APP said, "The people around the globe could be consuming five grammes of minute plastic particles every week, equal to the weight of a credit card," while quoting the latest research by global scientists and the University of Newcastle in Australia that revealed shocking impacts of plastic bags.

The research claimed traces of polymer coming mostly from tap and especially bottled water, nearly invisible bits of it were also found in shellfish, beer and salt, he said.

He mentioned the worldwide study, "The findings, drawn from 52 peer-reviewed studies, are the first to estimate the sheer weight of plastics consumed by individual humans: about 250 grammes, or half-a-pound, over the course of a year.

"It was necessary to disseminate these studies to the public as a different study worked out that the average American eats and drinks in about 45,000 plastics particles smaller than 130 microns annually, while breathing in roughly the same number, he said adding, "This will motivate masses to shun plastic bag use as unless you make a person realize the severity of a hazard no output could be achieved in that regard.

(with additional input by APP) 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2^nd, 2019.