The Sindh government has failed to enforce the ban on the use of plastic bags in the province once again. The government had announced to observe the ban from 15 June.
The provincial government has announced to observe a ban on plastic bags a number of times in the past several years. However, it has miserably failed to uphold the ban every single time.
In 2014, the Sindh government promulgated the Sindh Environment Protection (SEP) Act. Section 14(3) of the act prohibits the production and use of non-biodegradable plastic shopping bags.
Section 14(3) states that:
No person shall import, manufacture, stockpile, trade, supply, distribute or sell any scheduled plastic product which is non-degradable and cannot be broken down by the natural process.
Plastic shopping bags are non-biodegradable. Their increased usage and accumulation has been a pressing environmental issue worldwide.
When thrown away in the open, plastic bags result in increased garbage. When thrown in sewerage lines, plastic bags clog them. When burnt, plastic bags result in air pollution.
Source: Pro Pakistan