Under the regulations, individuals, shopkeepers, and manufacturers face fines of Rs5,000, Rs10,000, and Rs100,000 respectively for violations.

In a significant effort to reduce the amount of pollution caused by plastic, the authorities in Islamabad have increased the number of enforcement measures that are being carried out in accordance with the Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulations, 2023. These actions are directed at companies and sellers who are disobeying the prohibition on polythene bags and other things made of disposable plastic.

This operation is being led by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), which is working in conjunction with the government of the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).

Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, stated on Sunday that various inspection drives had been carried out across the commercial zones of the federal capital. These inspection drives included visits to bakeries, hotels, plastic suppliers, and local sellers. The activities led to the confiscation of substantial amounts of prohibited commodities as well as the imposition of fines on a number of individuals who had violated the rules.

The G-6 area of Islamabad was the location where almost 15 kg of prohibited plastic items were confiscated on May 23 alone. Six retailers were fined and handed warnings for their actions. According to Shaikh, it was discovered that a large number of firms were utilizing environmentally friendly alternatives.

In the past, on May 22, inspections were conducted at several markets, such as G-9 Peshawar Morr, Safa Gold Mall, and Rana Market (F-7/2). These inspections resulted in the confiscation of almost 300 kg of forbidden commodities and fines amounting to a total of Rs45,000. An further operation that took place on May 16 in G-7 Markaz resulted in the confiscation of 150 kg of single-use plastics and the imposition of penalties of Rs10,000.

Pak-EPA Director General Nazia Zeb Ali expressed her appreciation for the enforcement measures and reaffirmed the agency’s determination to lessen the amount of waste materials made of plastic in the capital. According to what she stated, “This crackdown is part of our sustained efforts to protect the environment and public health through strict enforcement.”

In the event that the restrictions are violated, individuals, retailers, and manufacturers are each subject to fines of Rs5,000, Rs10,000, and Rs100,000, respectively. Polythene bags, plastic straws, and beverage containers that are disposable are among the things that are subject to prohibition.

During her presentation, Nazia Zeb Ali underlined that single-use plastics are a significant source to urban garbage, which in turn causes drainage systems to get blocked, urban floods, and long-term environmental deterioration. She stated that it takes these plastics millennia to degrade, which results in the release of hazardous microplastics into the environment via the soil, water, and air.

In addition, she cautioned against the practices of openly burning trash plastic, which results in the emission of toxic fumes and presents significant dangers to the health of individuals, particularly children and the elderly.