ISLAMABAD, Jul 31 (APP): Farzana Altaf Shah, Director General of the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA), on Wednesday confiscated single-use plastics—such as disposable straws, cup lids, spoons, and food containers—from the Parliament’s Cafeteria.
Following a briefing to the Senate Standing Committee on Climate Change, DG Pak-EPA Shah visited the cafeteria and took immediate action after media reports highlighted a clear violation of the ban on single-use plastics occurring within the legislative premises.
In a statement to the media, Shah emphasized that the enforcement drive was ongoing and that public awareness efforts were being ramped up. Informative banners about the restrictions on single-use plastics have been prominently displayed at all major entrances in the federal capital.
She noted that, as per the federal government’s executive order issued on June 5, 2023, the use of all single-use plastics—including shopping bags, cutlery (forks, spoons, stirrers, plates, lids, straws, etc.), bottles, glassware, and food containers—had been banned.
The Pak-EPA has conducted numerous stakeholder awareness sessions and ongoing public education campaigns, supported by the district administration, alongside enforcing the ban.
Shah also mentioned that, in addition to confiscating the plastic items, a fine would be imposed on the cafeteria owner for the flagrant breach of the ban.
Earlier, Farzana Altaf Shah had informed the Senate Committee that 16 enforcement teams, comprising magistrates from the Islamabad Capital Territory administration, had been established to ensure compliance with the ban. To date, the Pak-EPA has seized approximately 33,000 kilograms of plastic.
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