Plastic bags to be recycled as dumpsters: MoCC

ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (APP): The Ministry of Climate Change (MoCC), after imposing an exclusive ban on polythene or plastic bags, has taken an environment friendly initiative to recycle the confiscated plastic bags into dumpsters and waste bins.

Talking to APP, Director Chemcials and In charge Implementation Team sub-urban region of the federal capital Dr Zaigham Abbas said the ban implementation teams had imposed over Rs1.2 million fine on the violators since August 14, 2019 and also seized around 2100 kilogrammes of polythene bags besides imposition of fine.

“The seized bags will be recycled to make more than 1,000 garbage bins and dumpsters that will be placed in schools, hospitals and other government institutions of the federal capital. While the collected fine has been submitted to the national treasury,” he added.

Dr Zaigham told that the ministry had imposed the ban on use of polythene bags in federal capital to protect the public from its harmful impacts which were not only affecting human health but also the wildlife and ecology.

Following the imposition of ban, he said, four teams were formed on August 16, last year for implementation of the ban in different areas of the city including Presidency, the suburbs and the Industrial Area, for implementation of ban on plastic bags.

“The team members include officials of the MoCC, ICT Administration, Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad, Environmental Protection Agency and representatives from the media,” he added.

To a question, he said teams were fully authorized to take action against violation and to impose ban.

The fine could be imposed up to Rs 100,000 on the wholesalers and manufacturers, Rs 10,000 on the shopkeepers and Rs 5,000 on consumers in case of first time violation. While the amount of fine could be increased on repeating the violations, he added.

Dr Zaigham Abbas said use of polythene bags in the federal capital and its suburbs had now been controlled by 80 percent but the efforts would be continued till achievement of 100 percent control.

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