Ban on plastic bags in Islamabad from Apr 1

ISLAMABAD: Ministry of Climate Change has imposed a ban on production, sale and import of plastic bags within the limits of Islamabad with effect from April 1 and anyone found violating the restriction would be fined with up to Rs1 million.

Talking to news conference in Islamabad, Federal Minister for Climate Change Rana Farooq Saeed said use of plastic bags will be stopped and steps will be taken to introduce the ones made of environment-friendly material that perish within three months.

He said presently 55 billion plastic bags are being produced per year in 8000 units across the country and that there was no longer a need for installation of a different technology to make environment-friendly bags, which can now be produced only by changing the chemical. This way the work force will also not be rendered jobless.

The Minister said any violation in this regard can lead to a fine of Rs10,000 to Rs1 million.