KARACHI: Pakistan Jute Mills Asso­ciation (PJMA) has urged the government to ensure implementation of UN guidelines for storage of food items and make the use of jute bags compulsory for packaging and long-term storage of grains, including wheat which will help government reduce health burden of public and ensure food security in the county.

Association’s Secretary Mohammad Younus in a communication to the Ministry of National Food and Security Research said that it was a scientifically proven fact that plastic bags are neither environment-friendly, nor biodegradable, and generate cancerous dioxins during the recycling procedure while it is surprising that high-ups in the Ministry of Food Security still consider it as a major source for storage of wheat reportedly which is all against the international norms and health standards. He said that plastic bags endangers lives of millions of people and the environment as well.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2014