Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday extended the ban on polythene bags to Gujranwala and Faisalabad, according to a news report. This ban covers the manufacture, sale, and use of polythene bags.
Previously, the authorities had implemented this ban in Lahore, to encouraging results. Therefore, LHC judge Justice Shahid Karim, in response to a public interest petition, ordered the director general of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to extend the ban to Gujranwala and Faisalabad as well. He emphasized that the EPA should take strict action against anyone violating this ban, and submit a compliance report in this regard at the next court hearing. This ban will further be implemented in phases in order to address the concerns of all stakeholders.
The petition that led to this decision expounded on the harmful effects of single-use plastics on the environment. It also stated that these polythene bags and Styrofoam containers wreak havoc on the sewerage systems in cities, pollute soil and water, endanger wildlife, and even promote the spread of diseases. It stipulated that the 15 microns-thick polythene bags are much more hazardous to the environment, as compared to the minimum thickness of 50 microns more commonly used across the world. It added that polythene bags and Styrofoam products must be banned all over the province.
