EPA cracks down on use of plastic bags

Notices issued to 15 shopkeepers, staff summoned for hearing

ISLAMABAD: With the district administration busy trying to enforce standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the novel coronavirus (Covid-19), stores in the federal capital started reusing plastic bags despite a ban on them.

After the ease in the lockdown, the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) conducted raids in the federal capital and issued notices to business centres, cash and carry stores, including 15 shopkeepers in the Karachi Company area, apart from issuing summons to staff for a hearing.

A complete ban had been imposed on the manufacture, import, sale, purchase, supply, storage, distribution and use of non-biodegradable bags (polythene bags) in the city on August 14, 2019.

But when field inspections relaxed in the wake of the pandemic, the use of plastic bags surged once again, especially by small and big markets, kiryana stores, bakeries, vendors, and small shops.

Pak-EPA Director-General Farzana Altaf Shah told The Express Tribune that the use of plastic bags remains banned in the federal capital. She added that the EPA's field team regularly inspects and penalizes violators.

She further said that shops who were allowed to operate during the lockdown had resumed use of polythene bags. “Owing to the lockdown, we are not penalizing them but small shopkeepers, vendors, and milk shop owners are taking advantage of our leniency,” she said.

"We have issued notices to 15 shopkeepers over the last few days for violation [of the ban] during raids in Karachi Company area, she said, adding that a notice has been issued to a large departmental store for using polythene bags while its staff has also been summoned for a hearing.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 16^th, 2020.