Polyethylene terephthalate bottles in Islamabad not banned: Pak-EPA
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) said on Thursday that existing regulations did not ban polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles, amid reports that federal authorities had begun removing bottled products from shop shelves. Dr Zaigham Abbas, an official of the federal agency, said Pak-EPA was the sole environmental regulator for Islamabad and there was no legal…
The Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has clarified that polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles are not subject to a ban in Islamabad, despite reports suggesting otherwise. Dr Zaigham Abbas, an official from the federal agency, stated that Pak-EPA is the sole environmental regulator for Islamabad and there is no legal basis for removing PET bottles from sale.
Initially, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry had announced a ban on single-use plastic bags and bottles, including water bottles, by December 31. However, Dr Abbas clarified that plastic bags used to package food items with a shelf life are not considered single-use plastic bags and will not be affected by the ban. PET bottles are exempted from regulations until 2028.
This clarification has sparked controversy, with the Collect and Recycle (CoRe) Alliance expressing concern over the potential ban on PET bottles. The alliance argued that such a ban would be scientifically unjustified, environmentally counterproductive, and detrimental to businesses in the country.
Written by urgent.news from Dawn - Pakistan's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
