LAHORE: The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has planned to start a crackdown on single-use plastics from December 10, 2024.
In this regard, EPA Punjab has issued a notification of amendments in the single-use plastic rules, in which fines ranging from Rs. will be taken. According to the amended rules, there will be a total ban on the manufacture, storage, purchase, sale and use of plastic shopping bags below 75 microns.
The spokesperson said that the amended rules also include the formation of plastic management committee in each district of Punjab. He said that the EPA has issued instructions to make the media campaign and public awareness campaign more effective while directing the district officers of the department to meet the concerned DCs and DPOs for effective implementation of the new amended rules. done Department spokesperson Sajid Bashir said that public, shopkeepers and wholesalers have been given time to eliminate single-use plastics.
Meanwhile, the Punjab government has made a major amendment to the Single-Use Plastic Production and Consumption Act, 2023, under which “District Plastic Management Committees” will be set up in every district of the province. These committees will consist of officers from twelve different departments. , and will be headed by the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district.
The Punjab government has issued a gazette notification of this amendment which includes the process of registration of factories manufacturing plastic shopping bags, the registration fee has also been changed while the committees will provide legal support to the manufacturers of shopping bags and It will also be run in public. Awareness campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags.
The committees will promote alternative solutions to plastic bags and be in constant contact with public representatives. Further, strict action will be taken against factories manufacturing substandard plastic bags.