Under the directives of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, significant government initiatives have been finalized in preparation for the “No to Plastic” campaign, set to commence on June 5.
According to official sources, this campaign aims to protect the public from fatal diseases linked to plastic use.
All necessary preparations have been made to ban the manufacturing, production, buying, and selling of illegal plastic bags starting June 5. This measure is in response to the rising environmental pollution caused by single-use plastics, which are contributing to cancer and other serious health issues. A crackdown on factories producing illegal plastic products will also be initiated.
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.
