Islamabad Steps Up Battle Against Single-Use Pollution
APP
Islamabad: In a renewed effort to protect Islamabad’s environment and public health, authorities have ramped up a crackdown on the use and distribution of single-use plastics across the federal capital and its surrounding areas.
Led by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) in coordination with the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration, inspection teams are making their presence felt in markets, bakeries, hotels, and local vendor stalls, enforcing the Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulations, 2023.
“This crackdown is part of our sustained efforts to reduce plastic pollution in the capital city and its adjoining areas for the overall protection of the environment and public health,” said Pak-EPA Director General Nazia Zeb Ali, who reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to eradicating single-use plastics from the capital.
Over the past 10 days, enforcement teams have been busy sweeping through prominent commercial zones, issuing fines, and confiscating prohibited items. In Islamabad’s upscale G-6 sector, for instance, a targeted inspection on May 23 led to the seizure of over 15 kilograms of banned plastic products, with six shopkeepers fined and issued warnings.
Encouragingly, officials noted that most businesses in the area had already transitioned to eco-friendly alternatives—signaling growing awareness and compliance.
Just a day earlier, on May 22, inspections were conducted at the G-9 Peshawar Morr Market, Safa Gold Mall (F-7 Markaz), and Rana Market (F-7/2). These operations resulted in the confiscation of over 300 kilograms of banned plastic items and fines totaling Rs 45,000 imposed on seven violators.
Earlier, on May 16, an inspection drive in G-7 Markaz and its adjacent areas led to the seizure of 150 kilograms of single-use plastics and the imposition of Rs 10,000 in fines.
According to Mohammad Saleem Shaikh, spokesperson for the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, these efforts are part of a broader campaign to curb the environmental and health hazards caused by single-use plastics, especially polythene bags.
The 2023 regulations impose strict bans on the manufacture, import, distribution, sale, and use of single-use plastics—including polythene bags, disposable beverage containers, plastic straws, and utensils—within the ICT region.
Violators now face heavy penalties: Rs 5,000 for individuals, Rs 10,000 for shopkeepers, and a steep Rs 100,000 fine for manufacturers found flouting the law.
“Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to urban pollution,” DG Nazia Zeb Ali explained. “In Islamabad alone, polythene bags make up a major portion of municipal waste. They clog drainage systems, trigger urban flooding, and take centuries to decompose.”
She warned that these plastics also release toxic chemicals as they degrade, seeping into the soil, water, and air—ultimately posing long-term health risks. Microplastics have been detected in water systems, while open burning of plastic waste, still commonly practiced in parts of the city, produces hazardous fumes that disproportionately affect children and the elderly.
Ali called on citizens to join the government’s efforts to reclaim the capital’s green spaces from plastic waste. “As Pakistan’s scenic capital and a fast-emerging tourist hub, we must preserve its natural charm—its green belts, public parks, and the Margalla Hills—from the scourge of plastic,” she said.
Plastic litter, she added, not only mars the city’s beauty but also threatens wildlife, which may ingest or become entangled in discarded plastics.
With regular inspection drives, escalating penalties, and growing public awareness, Islamabad may yet emerge as a model city in Pakistan’s war on plastic waste. But the challenge remains formidable—and authorities insist that public cooperation is key.
“This is not just a government campaign,” Ali emphasized. “It’s a call to all citizens to take ownership of their environment and say no to single-use plastics—for the sake of our health, our city, and our future.”
