Plastic bottle ban in Sindh faces compliance issues at key government offices

Despite the Sindh government's ban on the use of plastic water bottles in official offices, enforcement remains patchy.

An investigation by The Express Tribune revealed that while the ban has been somewhat implemented at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, other government offices, including those within the Sindh Secretariat, continue to use plastic bottles.

An employee from the Livestock Department, located near the Sindh Assembly, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the ban has not been enforced in most government offices.

Mahmood Alam Khalid, an environmental activist in Karachi, stressed the importance of this initiative to reduce pollution. However, he noted that its success hinges on strict implementation.

“Similar bans were imposed in federal offices, but enforcement has been lacking there as well,” Khalid told Express Tribune.

Muhammad Toheed, Associate Director at IBA’s Urban Lab, stated that even if the ban is enforced in government offices, it would not drastically reduce environmental pollution.

He pointed out that the majority of plastic bottle consumption occurs in private offices and restaurants. To make a real impact, Toheed argued, the ban should extend to the private sector.

According to a report by the US International Trade Administration, Pakistan generates 87,000 tonnes of solid waste weekly, with Karachi alone producing 16,500 tonnes of waste daily.

Environmental activist Afaaq Bhatti from Karachi highlighted that after kitchen waste, plastic is the second most common form of waste in the city.

Despite this, only 6 tonnes of waste are recycled daily in Karachi, while around 7,000 tonnes could be recycled with better resources and infrastructure.