KARACHI, Nov 29: The National Forum for Environment and Health (NFEH) has welcomed the city government’s decision to impose a ban on the use of polythene bags in the city with effect from June next year nd termed it a positive step in the right direction.

In a statement issued here on Saturday, the NFEH said that the polythene shopping bags had been playing havoc with the city’s environment by causing clogging of sewerage lines and also by creating a serious health hazards for the citizens.

The forum has urged chief minister and the city government to also ban the use of woven polypropylene bags (WPP) in which wheat and rice are packed. It claimed that use of such bags as packing material for these commodities was harmful to human health.

The forum referred to a recent study by the Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories (PCSIR) which had declared use of the WPP bags hazardous to human health.

As an alternative, the forum has recommended use of bags made with jute which absorb moisture and dissipate.

It indicated that the WPP, if exposed to sunlight even under tarpaulins, might disintegrate and reduce to powder and there was a risk of the powder getting mixed with the contents of such a hag.

It further pointed out that WPP powder is known to contain deadly elements such as lead, cadmium, chromium, cooper, nickel and zinc.—PPI