LAHORE – The Punjab government has imposed a ban on production and sale of plastic bags across province, in a bid to save the environment.
The decision was announced as the World Environment Day is being observed today June 5 under the theme titled as “Land restoration, stopping desertification and building drought resilience”.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif made the significant announcement, stating ha the plastic ban policy will be strictly enforced, particularly in hotels, restaurants, and eateries.
She also highlighted the harmful effects of plastic on the environment and human health, stating that “No to Plastic” campaign, aimed at reducing environmental pollution and promoting eco-friendly initiatives.
From June 5, hotels, restaurants, and other food establishments will be prohibited from serving food in plastic bags. Instead, the use of cotton bags or other environmentally friendly alternatives will be promoted.
Themed ‘Plastic vs. Earth’, this year’s Earth Day campaign sought to tackle plastic pollution. In alignment with the Punjab government regulations, a comprehensive ban was imposed earlier this year on the sale of plastic bags less than 75 microns and many other plastic items, including disposables and multi-layer packaging plastic products listed in Schedules 1 and 2 of the Punjab Single-Use Plastic Products Regulation 2023.
Moreover, all plastic manufacturers, collectors and recyclers throughout the province were mandated to register with the Punjab Environment Protection and Climate Change Department to ensure accountability and regulation.
Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to land, water and air quality, exacerbating environmental degradation. Its adverse effects on human health, including cancer and the ingestion of microplastics present in food, underscore the urgency of addressing this issue.
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