KARACHI, April 21: People across the globe will be celebrating the 35th Earth Day on April 22, focussing on concerns about what is happening to our land, rivers, lakes and air. According to conservationists in the megapolis, the day, aimed at putting environment into the political limelight, should be utilized in a way that efforts are initiated to restore what has been damaged.

Clean air and water have been among the major concerns of people, but it was also a time to think about the long prevailing use of polythene bags, and decide to use something else instead.

They also said that people should carry their own bag – big and durable – and environment friendly, so that, at least, the city could be saved from immense environmental and health hazard.

Changes and options always lay with individuals. As such, they should support environmental initiatives and act as trustees of the earth, they remarked.

Polythene as a carrier bag was introduced to provide convenience to humanity, but its improper use and disposing of had turned it into a menace.

The non-degradable bags, which in ideal conditions should end up in landfill sites or burnt in incinerators, are more often seen floating in lakes, rivers and seas.

Today the polythene bags fly in breeze, decorate bushes, hang on trees, litter at ease along roads and streets, where these become air-borne and not only present ugly scenes, but also act as carriers of dust and dirt particles. These airborne polythene bags also reach overhead wiring, get stuck there and cause trouble sometime, experts said. They distort aesthetics, create nuisance, clog sewerage lines, which could be and should be checked.

It is just a matter of managing the amount of polythene in our life to a safe level, and handling of polythene products in a safe manner while in use, store and garbage, added an expert. “It all needs thoughtful and concerted efforts and strong political will,” he commented.

A senior research assistant at the PCSIR, Dr Kauser Ali Syed, said that polythene bags were made of thermoplastic resin, which might add harmful substances to food items. Ready-to-eat food items should not be carried in low- quality polythene bags, he said.

He also stressed the need for fixing and notifying certain specifications of polythene bags and binding manufacturers to adhere to them.

He said that burning of polythene bags like other municipal waste in open air was also not good, as it could create gases, threatening human health. He also opposed making of bags from recycled materials.

According to estimates, the total import of polyethylene in 2003-04 was around 210,000 million tones, out of which Karachi’s share was around 30 per cent.

The number of people employed in the polythene bag business throughout the country in the shape of importers, workers, processing unit owners and employers and sellers of processed materials, etc number around 1.5 million.

Interviews of quarters concerned gave to understand that despite knowing and being convinced that the widespread use of polythene bags was a constant threat to the city’s environment and its amenities, and that there should be a complete ban on their sale and use, authorities had been unable to enforce any ban so far.

In order to ensure a pleasant environment, and avoid pollution, the Karachi city government had fixed July 1, 2004 as the date for implementation of a ban on the manufacturing and sale of polythene bags in the city. It was felt that the bags had been causing obstacles and was damaging the sewerage system as well, according to government sources.

However, things could not move in the required direction in the absence of follow-up actions.

Officials of the city government and experts in the subject, who have been holding meetings in the past, were of the view that only high quality and heavier bags should be produced and used. These would promote the culture of reusing a bag for longer periods, while not being light enough to create environmental pollution. A phase-wise elimination was also suggested.

On the other hand, the government was required to launch an awareness campaign using the print and electronic media, so that people could understand the ill-effects of polythene bags. They also suggested that bags should be made of paper, cotton and palm straw and their use be encouraged.

Independent sources say that a comprehensive law in regard to elimination of polythene bags should be introduced across the country and should not be city or area specific. Otherwise no ban would bring the desired result. Only converters or importers of Karachi would suffer, with other provinces taking advantage of the situation.

Market sources have also expressed fear that implementation of the ban, without taking into confidence the stakeholders, would render about 80,000 workers jobless in Karachi. Besides, it would also bring to a halt about 2,000 small manufacturing units.