‘Shift in consumer attitudes essential for reducing plastic pollution in Pakistan’

The provincial governments in Pakistan should launch mass awareness campaigns to encourage the public to adopt environment-friendly alternatives to plastic shopping bags and PET bottles and promote the reuse and recycling of waste to reduce the carbon footprint associated with daily consumption habits in society.

This was the key consensus among environmentalists, climate activists, media professionals and industrialists at an event held to commemorate World Environment Day. The United Nations has designated this year’s theme as ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’. The event was jointly organised by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Common & Industry’s (FPCCI) central standing committees on environment and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Speakers at the event, held at the FPCCI head office, stressed that government-imposed bans on plastic bags could only be effectively implemented if incentives were provided to manufacturers to transition towards environmentally friendly alternatives, such as biodegradable carrier bags. They noted that producers in the plastic industry would naturally cease manufacturing single-use plastic bags if consumers stopped demanding them.

Participants recalled the earlier failure of Islamabad’s administration to enforce a plastic bag ban, despite the capital’s smaller size compared to Karachi, due to the lack of engagement with both retailers and consumers in the environmental campaign.

Imran Sabir, director of natural resources at the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), informed the audience that a province-wide ban on plastic shopping and carrier bags would come into effect in Sindh from June 15, following a decision by the provincial cabinet. He clarified that plastic bags used for wrapping industrial goods, food items, agricultural produce and merchandise would remain exempt from the forthcoming ban. This exemption, he said, was intended to ensure continued functionality in essential sectors while discouraging non-essential single-use plastics.

He added that earlier campaigns led by the Sindh government had successfully phased out the use of more harmful black-coloured plastic shopping bags and promoted the adoption of biodegradable alternatives at major retail outlets and grocery stores in Karachi. He emphasised that the government had already initiated an awareness drive to inform consumers, producers and shopkeepers about the impending ban.

Afia Salam, environmental journalist and climate activist, expressed concern over the public’s insufficient support for plastic waste recycling. She noted that inadequate waste collection and recycling infrastructure had led to the widespread littering of plastic bags and bottles in urban areas. Improper disposal of plastic bags, she said, was a leading cause of storm water drain blockages, which resulted in urban flooding during the monsoon season.

She urged the consumers to adopt more responsible habits by rejecting plastic bags. Zainab Naeem, research fellow at the Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), called on the government to support start-ups, and small and medium enterprises offering eco-friendly alternatives to plastic products. She encouraged the consumers to actively choose items made from recycled materials to reduce the environmental impact of their consumption.

She highlighted that Pakistan generated over two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, making its collection, safe disposal and recycling a formidable challenge. Salman Javed, former managing director of the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, emphasised the need for educating the tourists visiting the northern hill resorts on the hazards of plastic pollution. Reducing the environmental footprint of the travel and tourism sector, he said, was essential for preserving Pakistan’s natural heritage.

Haleema Khan, deputy convener of the FPCCI Central Standing Committee on SDGs, called for robust enforcement of environmental protection and waste management laws by provincial authorities to effectively address plastic pollution.

Environmental consultant Saqib Ejaz Hussain urged the industries across Pakistan to comply with environmental regulations and integrate sustainability into their core operations in order to reduce their carbon footprint.

He argued that an outright ban on the plastic industry would be counterproductive, but suggested that producers should be incentivised to gradually phase out the manufacture of the most environmentally damaging products.

Naeem Qureshi, convener of the FPCCI Standing Committee on Environment, remarked that Pakistan’s plastic industry, with a turnover in billions of rupees, remained a vital contributor to the national economy. He said the government should assist manufacturers in making their operations more sustainable.

Noting that only three per cent of plastic waste generated in Pakistan was currently recycled, he called for urgent support for the recycling sector as a critical measure to combat urban pollution.

He also urged the provincial governments to strengthen their environmental governance mechanisms as per the responsibilities devolved under the 18th Constitutional Amendment. FPCCI Vice President Aman Paracha reaffirmed the FPCCI’s commitment to supporting initiatives by the federal, provincial and local governments, as well as NGOs, to address environmental degradation. He stressed the importance of educating schoolchildren on good practices such as reducing plastic waste and proper rubbish disposal, so they could grow into responsible citizens who actively contributed to environmental protection.