The Punjab Environment Protection Agency has confiscated 321,582kg of plastic bags under 75 microns since a ban imposed by the provincial government on June 5.
As per official data, teams of the department have conducted 143,354 inspections across the province.
EPA squads conducted 136,961 raids and confiscated 249,485kg of plastic bags, of which 6,393 raids were conducted in the provincial capital and 72,097kg of plastic bags were seized.
Punjab EPA Director General Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh told the Express Tribune that recognising the growing need to control the production and use of plastic products, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had decided to ban the bags from June 5.
The chief minister has instructed the environment department to monitor all registered premises to ensure that no production unit violates the rules by producing single-use low-micron plastic bags. Additionally, the department will conduct vigilance operations to ensure that no plastic bag production unit is left unregistered.
A Plastic Management Information System (PMIS) has also been launched since December for the registration and licensing of plastic businesses all over Punjab.
The DG said 556 producers, consumers, collectors and recyclers had been registered through the PMIS.
The data showed that special squads of the Environment Protection Force have confiscated 47,065kg of banned bags in Multan, 30,474kg in Rawalpindi, 13,110kg in Faisalabad, 6,536kg in Gujranwala, 11,780kg in Sargodha, 10,606kg in Bahawalpur, 8,012kg in Sahiwal, 7,460kg in Sheikhupura and 3,705kg in Kasur. Banned plastic bags weighing 9,987kg were seized in Mandi Bahauddin, 8,130kg in Sialkot, 5,868kg in Gujrat, 5,204kg in Dera Ghazi Khan, 4,271kg in Toba Tek Singh, 4,068kg in Lodhran, 3,827kg in Jhang, 3,313kg in Narowal, 3,024kg in Muzaffargarh, 2,891kg in Okara, 2,886kg in Pakpattan, 1,826kg in Minawali and 5,899kg in Vehari.
In Nankana Sahib, 5,656kg of banned bags were seized, Hafizabad 5,328kg, Attock 5,012kg, Bahawalnagar 4,743kg, Layyah 4,647kg, Khanewal 3,764kg, Rahim Yar Khan 3,604kg, Chakwal 3,516kg, Jhelum 2,879kg, Chiniot 2,529kg, Rajanpur 2,064kg, Khushab 1,734kg, Kot Adu 1,541kg, Bhakkar 1,307kg, Phoolnagar 874kg and Murree 341kg.
Environment Protection and Climate Change Secretary Silwat Saeed said an initiative of inviting all businesses and organisations to take part in the Plastic-Free Punjab Pledge Campaign will result in more effective ways to stop banned single-use plastic items.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ