Consequences of ban on polythene bags
Wasim Sajjad
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government is going to impose ban on polythene bags in Peshawar city from 1st December but the people have serious concerns over the decision and they are worried about the non-provision of alternatives by the government.
A shopkeeper told this scribe that ban on plastic shopping bags was a very good step and he appreciate the government for taking it but what we would do as there was no alternative given by the government, adding that the people consider it as disrespect to serve them items without shopping bags.
Expressing concern about the issue, a person told this scribe that it was good that the government was stopping the people from using shopping bags, but what they would do to bring stuff to home. He said that it would be difficult for him to bring nutritious stuff like yogurt and milk as everyone would have to carry a pot with itself to the shop.
On the other hand, a college student, Shakeel Ahmad, was happy. He stated, “These bags have made a mess in the country. When there are rains, all the roads are full of water as it stops the drainage system.” He added that the public didn’t play their role and blame the government for everything, whereas the government was not able to do everything for them. “Being citizen of this country, we have some responsibilities,” he said.
A polythene bags company owner, Sajjad Khan, told that his factory was in crises due to the prevailing situation, adding that the government first ordered them to make biodegradable plastic shopping bags and now it was trying to ban the all types of shopping bags that was injustice. He added that due to the fair the shopkeepers and the wholesale dealers were not purchasing polythene bags, which ultimately caused us to close the factory.
Dr Rashid Miandad, a professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Peshawar, who has done his research on polythene bags, informed that the classification and pyrolysis was a technique through which the plastic could be converted into diesel. He added that if the government was serious in the issue, it can take his help. He added that the government needed to spread awareness among the people that they should stop using the one time used bags.
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