Latest news with #NationalActionRoadmaptoReducePlasticPollution
Business Recorder
16-06-2025
- Health
- Business Recorder
Pakistan's plastic challenge
EDITORIAL: Plastic pollution has become one of the most pervasive and damaging environmental threats of our time, choking ecosystems, endangering wildlife and infiltrating every corner of the planet. Pakistan is no exception here, generating over two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, amounting to more than 8kg of waste per capita per year. Alarmingly, 86 percent of this waste remains unrecycled and unmanaged, clogging waterways, polluting urban spaces, and leaching toxins into food systems, soil and the sea. In fact, this crisis has become so severe that Pakistan now ranks among the top 10 plastic-polluting countries in the world. These distressing details were revealed by the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF-P) on World Environment Day that was commemorated on June 5. In its statement, the WWF-P highlighted the serious environmental and health impacts of single-use plastics in particular, which offer short-term convenience but inflict long-term damage. Billions of these disposable items are discarded daily, with around 14 million tonnes ending up in the world's oceans each year, endangering marine life and fragile ecosystems. Even more troubling is the spread of microplastics, tiny particles formed as plastic breaks down. Traces of these have been found in seafood, drinking water and even human blood, raising major public health concerns. Research links plastic exposure to hormonal imbalances, reproductive issues and increased cancer risk. Adding to the crisis, plastic production and disposal also emit greenhouse gases, worsening climate change. Most dangerously, the all-pervasive use of plastic packaging generates constant waste at both household and commercial levels, making it one of the hardest pollution types to regulate and eliminate. Plastic packaging is made from stubbornly non-biodegradable materials, like polyethylene and polystyrene, synthetic polymers that resist natural decomposition and can persist in the environment for centuries, which means that almost every piece of plastic ever produced still exists today. Pakistan's efforts to tackle plastic pollution have largely been piecemeal and reactive, relying on city- or province-specific bans on plastic bags and sporadic public awareness campaigns. Legislations like the Environmental Protection Act and the Solid Waste Management Act include provisions that aim to improve waste management, while in June 2023, media reports referenced a proposed 10-year strategy aimed at cutting plastic use, boosting recycling and minimising waste. Most recently, in April, the government introduced the National Action Roadmap to Reduce Plastic Pollution, which lays out a comprehensive plan to curb mismanaged plastic waste, at least on paper. However, huge enforcement gaps and the lack of a unified, nationwide policy to ensure coordination and consistency across provinces have hindered efforts to combat plastic waste. The fact of the matter is that the plastic industry enjoys huge economic relevance in Pakistan. Given this economic significance, a comprehensive policy framework that gradually reduces the plastic industry's dominance by promoting the production and use of environmentally friendly alternatives is essential. Banning plastic usage alone will be inadequate; authorities must also create the conditions for eco-friendly alternatives, such as biodegradable cloth or jute bags to become both widely available and affordable. This requires robust collaboration between the public and private sectors, along with targeted financial and technical assistance to help local manufacturers transition towards the production of sustainable plastic alternatives. Without viable alternatives, the public cannot be expected to comply with bans, nor can plastic producers feasibly shift to greener options without risking economic loss. Addressing plastic pollution effectively, therefore, requires a balanced approach that aligns environmental goals with economic realities to create lasting change. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
05-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Recorder
Pakistan reaffirms commitment to tackling environmental crises
Pakistan reaffirmed on Thursday its commitment to playing full part in addressing critical environmental crises and in safeguarding the planet for future generations. World Environment Day is being observed today to create awareness among the masses about protecting environment and eliminating pollution. This year, the theme is 'Putting an End to Plastic Pollution'. In a press release, the Foreign Office said that the day presents a significant opportunity to raise awareness about the urgent environmental challenges facing the world and to accelerate collective efforts to protect the planet. 'As one of the countries most affected by climate change, Pakistan appreciates the ongoing global initiatives to address the triple planetary crises: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution,' the FO said. Govt urged to develop strategy for combating plastic pollution The statement said that while the world grapples with the formidable challenge of rampant plastic pollution on land, in rivers, and across our oceans, 'we believe that commemorating World Environment Day 2025 under the theme 'Beat Plastic Pollution' is both timely and vital.' 'This year's theme aligns closely with Pakistan's national efforts to combat plastic pollution. In April 2025, the Government of Pakistan launched the 'National Action Roadmap to Reduce Plastic Pollution,' which outlines a comprehensive strategy to mitigate plastic waste by reducing mismanaged waste and promoting circularity.'
