KP govt initiates action against polythene bags manufacturers

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government Sunday initiated a strong action against polythene bags manufacturing companies and decided to seize plastic bags having less than 50 microns size to curb rising plastic pollution in the province.Talking to reporters, Deedar Ahmed, Assistant Director Environmental Protection Agency said polythene bags are a leading source of spreading plastic pollution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).

He said only biodegradable bags having 50 microns size were allowed in the open market for businesses purposes. He said plastic size was being measured through d2 detector machine and all those bags with less than 50 micron size were being seized in the markets to curb the plastic pollution.

Deedar said operation against polythene bags manufacturing companies and shops were expedited across the province including Swat, Buner, Shangla, Lower, Upper Dir, Malakabd, Chitral, DI Khan, Abbottabad and merged tribal districts.

He said polythene bags factories and manufactured companies were sealed in Hayatabad Industrial Estate Peshawar.

He said companies violating the government orders were being sent to Environmental Tribunal Peshawar having the power to impose fine up to Rs5million, confiscated entire stock or imposed Rs100,000 fine per day or sent the accused behind the bars.

He said 6,000 plastic factories were operating in the country.

He said plastic companies have been asked to use one percent ''D2W'' chemical in plastic bags an ingredient to attract bacteria to ensure its easy bio-degradation within few years.

The Chief Minister KP while taking cognizance of an increase of plastic pollution has imposed complete ban on use and sale of non-biodegradable plastic bags in March last year.

The CM KP had constituted a high-level committee under chairmanship of Provincial Minister Shaukat Yousafzai to find out an alternative solution to polythene bags.

The committee has recommended biodegradable plastic bags which was cost efficient, environment and ecosystem friendly besides quick disposability.

Deedar said black polythene bags were more dangerous than others for humans and aquatic life because of their repeated usage without proper recycling thus exposing consumers to serious ailments including intestine infections, vomiting, digestive problems and premature births.

He said micro plastic particles were causing serious health risks like cancers, development issues in young children, fatigue, endocrine disruption, obesity and premature births both in humans and animals through air, water and edible items mostly fish and meat.

He said polythene bags takes 500 to 1,000 years to fully decompose in soil and have an adverse effects on living creatures mostly in third world countries especially in SAARC region.

He explained that micro plastic which cannot be seen with naked eye, when comes in contact with heat, is converted into smaller particles causing air pollution and become part of food cycle of human, fish, wildlife and mammals in land by putting their lives in danger.

He said the large-scale production and an excessive use of plastic products have created enormous environmental challenges to humans, wildlife and aquatic creatures world-wide.

He feared that plastic waste in canals, rivers and oceans would significantly decreased production of fish and other marine species in next 40 to 50 years if its dumping continues at such alarming scale.

Every year, approximately 500 billion plastic bags were used including 50pc one time globally where about eight million tons plastic ends up in canals, rivers and oceans, which is equivalent to a truck filled with garbage every minute worldwide.

Interestingly, 60 million plastic bags was being bought per hour, and only 14pc of the total used was recycled while the rest was disposed into oceans, rivers and soils.

Deedar Ahmed said polythene plastic bags have made their way to the market in 1960 in Pakistan and millions of plastic bags were being produced in the country every year, thus contributing to substantial quantity of plastic waste.

He said animals and wildlife become victims of polythene bags and eventually die due to malnutrition as it badly affects their digestive system.

In addition to polluting grazing lands and tourists sites, he said non-biodegradable bags mostly find their way to open garbage dumps, landfill sites or municipal sewers, making sewage disposal systems less efficient cause flash flooding in urban areas and increase cost of utility operations.

Most of urban waste management companies were focusing on picking waste from communal bins in urban areas but overlook canals, rivers and oceans plastic waste''s disposal and once it is burnt hazardous gases like Dioxins and Furances pollute the air.

He said plastic and water pollution in rivers Kabul and Swat had put population of Mahsher and Trout fish at risk.

Deedar Ahmed said huge investment was required for installation of Waste to Energy units on the pattern of China to convert plastic waste into energy, adding at least Rs100 million would be required for setting up of a plant with a capacity to generate five to 10 megawatt energy.

He said plastic pollution had a global and far-reaching impact on the international, regional and local environment, ecosystems, wildlife, livestock and marine life and great responsibility rests on developed countries to assist under developing and developing countries especially SAARC in combating plastic pollution.

He said local industry should be encouraged to produce environment friendly biodegradable plastic besides strengthening of waste management companies in terms of finances, manpower, equipments for speedy disposal of plastic waste.

Urban councils and waste management companies should reach out to communities to sensitize them against menace of plastic pollution.

He said the users must be sensitized to understand the gravity of this looming issue for which role of media and religious leaders was key and urged consumers to buy and use biodegradable plastic and clothes bags and ensure its proper disposal to make

the planet a peace living abode for future generation.