ISLAMABAD: Although single-use plastic bags have been banned in the capital, oxy-biodegradable bags, which are far more hazardous for the environment and human health, remain in use.

Oxy-biodegradable carrier bags disappear from view after interacting with the elements, such as sunlight and oxygen, but their disintegrated and almost invisible pieces settle in the soil, affecting fertility, and mixed with water.

“These tiny pieces of plastic can be inhaled by humans when they breathe and are equally threatening to marine life, which also consumes them,” a source in the Ministry of Climate Change said.

Environmentalists are equally opposed to oxy-biodegradable plastic bags and have proposed phasing out their use, he added.

“While there is limited research on the harmful health and ecological effects of oxy-biodegradable carrier bags, environmentalists argue that they are carcinogenic,” the senior official told Dawn.

Climate change ministry to ‘gradually phase out oxy-biodegradable bags’ which can harm health, environment

Saleem Sheikh, deputy director media at the Ministry of Climate Change, said that oxy-biodegradable bags filled the gap while the ministry was trying to phase out single-use plastic bags but they are not the complete solution to a plastic free environment.

“Oxy-biodegradable bags are not beneficial to the environment and human health in any way. They can remain in the earth and mix easily with water. The ministry’s stance is to gradually phase oxy-biodegradable bags out,” Mr Sheikh said.

However, Pakistan Environment Protection Agency Director General Farzana Altaf Shah told Dawn oxy-biodegradable bags have also been banned under the law that bans the production and use of plastic bags in the capital.

She said the manufacturers of oxy-biodegradable bags have produced them in bulk and encouraged shopkeepers to use them, claiming they were legal. However, she said, oxy-biodegradable bags are as illegal under the law as other plastic bags.

Ministry officials on Tuesday inspected markets in Bhara Kahu to see if shopkeepers were still using plastic bags.

Mr Sheikh said plastic bags were confiscated from various shops and shopping malls, and a few people were fined during monitoring visits to Bhara Kahu’s commercial areas.

“Customers also complained of the shortage of alternative bags, and protested that shopkeepers were selling them at high prices,” he added.

Under the law banning plastic bags in the capital, manufacturers, importers and wholesalers will be fined Rs100,000 for first time violations, Rs200,000 for the second violation and Rs500,000 for the third.

Shopkeepers, hawkers and stall vendors will be fined Rs10,000 for violating the law the first time, Rs20,000 the second time and Rs50,000 the third time.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2019