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No more plastic bags in capital

ISLAMABAD, Jan 31: The Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-Epa) on Thursday notified a regulation prohibiting manufacturing, import, sale and use of non-biodegradable plastic bags and other plastic products in the Islamabad capital territory from April 1.

Approved by the Ministry of Climate Change and after obtaining consent from the Law and Justice Division, the Prohibition of Non-biodegradable Plastic Products (Manufacture, Sale and Usage) Regulations 2013 was announced at a press conference here. “This landmark step taken by our ministry will help control spread of waste plastic bags (choking drains and polluting landscape) and enable exporters to comply with the environment-friendly packaging demanded in the international market,” said Minister for Climate Change Rana Mohammad Farooq Saeed Khan. The minister said the technology to manufacture biodegradable properties in plastic was simple. “A small quantity of olefin (oil) based additive (1 to 3 per cent) is mixed with the raw material to develop the biodegradable properties. Bags made with this technology if left in the open air or water absorb oxygen gradually weakening internal bond of plastic material thereby allowing biological degradation to take place,” said the minister. Asif Shuja, the director general of Pak-Epa, explained that plastic bag was introduced in the USA in 1977. By 1982, plastic bags gained popularity and came to Pakistan. “The technology was so cheap that people installed the machinery in homes to make the bags. Because of the throwaway culture in Pakistan, the disposal of plastic bags became a concern,” said Mr Shuja, explaining how the Cabinet Division had banned plastic bags in 1993. Following directions from the Pakistan Environmental Protection Council (head by the prime minister) in 2004, Pak-Epa conducted a study that showed that in the early 1990s as many as 12 billion plastic bags a year were produced in Pakistan. By the years 2007-08, the production went higher than 55 billion per year. And the projected projection of plastic bags by 2014-15 stood at 112 billion a year. Today 200,000 people directly and 600,000 indirectly are involved in the production of plastic bags in more than 8,000 manufacturing units spread across the country, mostly Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. Although the regulation is Islamabad specific and there are no plastic factories within the limits of the capital, the minister explained that provinces had been on board to convince the manufacturers in their respective provinces to introduce oxo-biodegradable bags. “We will take all provinces, where plastic products are manufactured, on board to help implement the ban on the production of non-biodegradable items to conserve environment,” said the minister. However, some environmentalists wondered why a particular foreign brand that made oxy-biodegradable bags was being promoted. The oxo-biodegradable bags on display in the room where the press conference was held had three months life span. After that, reaction with either oxygen or sunlight would decompose the bags into ash like humus. However, some of the bags available with Dawn since January 2012 and another since June 2012 are still as strong as brand new. Nonetheless, the Pak-Epa director general explained that different multinational companies and users were approached to promote oxo-biodegradable plastic bags in the country. “Lahore and Karachi chambers of commerce have held workshops on biodegradable plastics to create awareness among entrepreneurs,” said Mr Shuja, explaining how the government had also abolished the duty on the import of olefin to encourage the technology.

Source Link: http://dawn.com/2013/02/01/no-more-plastic-bags-in-capital/

‘No’ to plastic bags

* Citizens, environmentalists urge Punjab government to impose ban on manufacture, sale, purchase, use of non-degradable plastic bags By Arsalan Haider LAHORE: Citizens, environmentalists and traders have urged the Punjab government to implement a ban on non-degradable polythene bags following the federal government’s ban on the manufacture, sale, purchase and use of plastic bags in Islamabad. Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change had imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in Islamabad with an aim to control environmental pollution and enable exporters to comply with environment-friendly packaging. The law has been largely accepted, appreciated and supported. According to data issued by the Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) in 2010, as many as 12 billion plastic bags were used n Pakistan during the year 1990-91. In 2005-06, the consumption rose to 43 billion, and in 2007-08, up to 55 billion. With 15 percent annual growth in the production of plastic bags, the estimated use of the product in the country would be 112 billion by 2014-15.

Based on a 2004 study conducted by the Environmental Protection Council (EPC) Pakistan, the country’s annual plastic bags production and consumption totalled 55 billion, with growth projected at 15 percent a year. Consumption, which is estimated at 397 bags per person, was forecast to be more than double (112 billion) by 2015, according to the EPC. The Punjab government prohibited the manufacture, sale, use and import of polythene bags in 2002. Violators of the law were subject to a fine of Rs 50,000 and/or a prison term of up to three months. In 2008, the Lahore High Court ordered the Punjab government to ban the use of plastic bags in the province. The decision was made in response to a petition claiming that the bags continued to cause environmental degradation because they could neither be destroyed nor recycled. Talking to Daily Times, a Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) spokesman said that polythene bag had become the biggest problem for the agency. He said that people usually fill the plastic bags with garbage, tie them up and then throw them in open drains, blocking the sewer. “It’s a persistent problem because these bags do not decompose, so there is need to fully impose a ban through the law, which has been implemented by the federal government in the capital territory,” the spokesman said. He was of the view that only an additive could make polythene bags degradable. Defence Housing Authority (DHA) spokesman Usman said that the authority had already distributed biodegradable plastic bags among its residents and was constantly working to spread awareness among the resident of DHA Lahore in this regard. He was of the view that the authority had also arranged an awareness walk, which was successfully participated by the residents. Usman said that the Punjab government should also follow the federal government’s footsteps by imposing the law across the province. Pak-EPA Director General Asif Shuja said that the ban would result in making Pakistan safe, clean and healthy for the future generations. He was of the view that the law would not affect the plastic industry, as oxo biodegradable bags would replace the non-degradable polythene bags. The production of oxo biodegradable plastic bags did not require a major change of machinery or process; it involves mixing a small quantity of a petroleum-based compound or olefin with the polyethylene resins, he added. “The olefin introduces biodegradation characteristics to the plastic, which are activated when the plastic comes in contact with air. From there on, bacteria can decompose the weak molecular structure of the plastic,” Shuja explained. The cost of this eco-friendly alternative to the retailers is not too high, he said.

Source link: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2013\02\09\story_9-2-2013_pg13_4

D2W - Pakistan

Ban on plastic bags from April 1

A Ban has been imposed on the use of plastic bags as announced by the Government. President Anjuman Tajiran All Pakistan Khalid Pervaiz, President Standing Committe on environment FPCCI Khawaja Khawar and spokesman of WASA, appreciates this initiative as expressed in “Daily Musawaat”.

Editorial of "Daily Musawaat" on the ban of plastic bags in Islamabad.