Crackdown on single use plastic from 10th

LAHORE:Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has planned to start a crackdown on single-use plastic from December 10, 2024.

In this regard, the EPA Punjab issued notification of amendments in single-use plastic laws in which fines were introduced ranging from Rs5,000 to Rs50,000 and will be imposed for violation while places will be sealed and materials will be confiscated. As per the amended laws, there will be a complete ban on manufacturing, storing, purchasing, selling and using plastic shopping bags less than 75 microns.

The amended laws also included formation of Plastic Management Committee in every district of the Punjab, the spokesperson said. He said the EPA issued directives to make media campaign and public awareness campaign more effective while the department’s district officers were directed to meet with concerned DCs and DPOs for effective implementation of the new amended laws. The department’s spokesperson Sajid Bashir said that the time was given to the public, shopkeepers and whole sellers to eliminate single-use plastic.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government has made a significant amendment to the Single-Use Plastic Production and Consumption Act 2023, under which “District Plastic Management Committees” will be established in each district of the province.These committees will consist of officers from twelve different departments, and will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the respective district.

The Punjab government has issued a gazette notification of this amendment, which also includes the process of registering factories manufacturing plastic shopping bags.The registration fee has also been changed, while the committees will provide legal assistance to shopping bag manufacturers and will also run a public awareness campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags.

The committees will promote alternative solutions to plastic bags and will be in constant contact with public representatives.Moreover, strict action will be taken against factories manufacturing substandard plastic bags.