Complete ban on plastic bags to be enforced from June

LAHORE: The Punjab government reiterated its commitment to eliminate plastic bags, announcing a complete ban on the use of all types of shopping bags and polythene bags from June 6, ARY News reported.  

Speaking at Punjab Assembly floor today, provincial Local Government Minister Zeeshan Rafiq said that the decision has been taken on the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and a comprehensive cleanliness plan will be launched in the next four months.

According to Zeshan Rafiq, the cleanliness system will be implemented at the tehsil level, and waste will be collected from every household. “The streets will be cleaned daily, and nearly 100,000 new jobs will be created under the new system,” he noted.

The Minister also announced that landfill sites are being established in Punjab for the purpose of dumping waste, and over 2,000 water supply schemes have been closed due to contamination.

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.

Back in 2020, Lahore High Court (LHC) banned the use of polythene bags at all stores, bakeries and hotels across the city.

The LHC bench headed by Justice Shahid Kareem conducted hearing on Advocate Salman Khan Niazi’s petition and gave two weeks deadline to phase out polythene bags.

During the hearing, the Environment Protection Department told the court that they are implementing the high court orders to ban the use of plastic bags at all stores across Lahore.