Strict legislative measures crucial to reduce the plastic waste in the environment, say experts

ISLAMABAD, Feb 01 (SABAH): The 7 billion tons of plastic from the aggregate 9 billion tons produced since 1950’s is still circulating in the environment in various forms, in landfills, dumps and aquatic bodies making it one of the most pertinent cotemporary challenges, said Ambassador (Retd) Dr. Shafqat Kakakhel, Chairperson, Board of Governors, Sustainable Development Policy Institute.

He was speaking at a distinguished guest lecture on “Environmental Governance in addressing Plastic pollution and the role of CSOs” with Inger Andersen, the Executive Director, UNEP, organized by SDPI here on Wednesday.

Ambassador (Retd) Dr. Shafqat Kakakhel informed that UNEP currently is spearheading the momentous initiatives for preventing further increase and potentially ruling back the hazardous plastic pollution as a consequence of industrial revolution. He appreciated the efforts of UNEP and World Environment Assembly has called for establishment of inter-governmental negotiations for developing a legally binding instrument for plastic pollution particularly pollution of marine environment by 2024. He said that Pakistan is also confronted by the evil of the industrial revolution and despite drives in major cities to control and minimize the use of micro and macro-plastics, so far no remarkable progress has been achieved.

Inger Andersen, the Executive Director of United Nations Environment Programme said that use of plastic has enabled ease in day to day activities and stressed that “UNEP is not anti-plastic but anti-plastic in the environment”. She stressed that each year 400million tons of plastic products are generated out of which 300million tons ends up in global waste basket recklessly, making it a challenge for the environment. She emphasized that once plastic is part of economy, it should be kept in the cycle rather than being used once and then disposed to waste where it ends up in landfills, marine and water bodies and in urban poor areas. She informed that Pakistan is second largest domestic market for plastic with very limited recycling potential of 18% and only 3% plastic is recycled in Pakistan.

Highlighting the extensive infiltration of plastic in our lives and the entire value chain, she urged that “We must be part of solution and have a shared responsibility particularly businesses using plastic packaging for goods but also even in different stages during transit”. She stressed that it is responsibility of brands and consumers to reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse by rethinking packaging and how it is delivered to consumers. She stressed on the role of civil society in advocacy, generating scientific data and building awareness to reduce plastic waste in the environment. She urged that as we make strides in this regards, we must think of garbage collectors especially young children engaged in the trade must not be left behind and should be provided alternative, safe, decent livelihoods and sustainable incomes.

She stressed on the need for stringent legislation to govern the plastic content to reduce waste and improve recycling and extended producer guarantees.

She further said that even if plastic is mechanically or chemically recycled, we must consider that it does not come without cost and chemical recycling particularly has a huge carbon footprint.

Responding to questions, she said that stringent regulations, awareness on content and chemistry of plastic and incentivization are critical to reduce plastic waste and informed that 36 countries in Africa have banned single use plastics and public awareness is very high deterring use of plastics. Addressing the financing gap, she said that strict public enforcement will catalyze action from private sector to increase recycling and discourage use of virgin plastics.

She stressed that when the cost of plastic use for businesses will be increased, private sector will find and mobilize resources themselves. She informed that 65% of global plastic waste is single use while only 35% is recycled which must be increased and the trans-boundary dumping of waste though illegal is still a pertinent issue which calls for increase in vigilance and finding solutions to the plastic challenge rather than pushing it to different locations.