The use of plastic is causing large levels of toxic pollution that harms the environment and over the past few decades, it has started to negatively affect natural ecosystems, creating problems for wildlife and human life alike.
According to a study eight out of 10 of the 12 million pieces of litter found in rivers, oceans, beaches and seabed are made of plastic and 44% of this plastic is related to food and drink. Single-use bottles food containers and wrappers and plastic bags make up the largest share.
For the past several years environmental lobbies have been trying to persuade governments to outlaw plastic items but in this regard they did not have much success which is very making farther environmental problems.
It is worth noting that it was recently announced by the UK Department of the Environment that the UK will ban single-use plastic items from the autumn of 2023 in an effort to limit increasing plastic pollution will take effect.
The new ban is said to include single-use plastic trays and some types of polystyrene cups and eating utensils were in favor of the ban. It seems that the department has rightly realized that most plastics can persist for centuries and harm the oceans, rivers and land.
It is being banned in European countries. Many countries, including Bangladesh, have banned the use of single-use plastic items and Pakistan is the last in the list among South Asian countries which is very alarming situation.
According to two-year-old data, more than 3.3 million tons of plastic is wasted in Pakistan annually and much of it ends up in landfills, unregulated dumping or disorder scattered around land and water bodies.
Due to excessive use of plastic the drainage system of the cities is getting blocked while these same plastic bags are also the cause of flooding in the rivers. Undoubtedly some efforts are made by the concerned authorities to control the disposal of single-use plastic items but their plans do not go down from the drawing board.
A few other cities issued an SRO to ban plastic bags, but the ban soon ran into resistance from shopkeepers and shoppers. As it has been the tragedy of our country that governance politics is always seen here no politician is trying to figure out why the ban on single-use plastic items has not been implemented.
However civil society and media should raise their voices against the increasing environmental threats from toxic plastics. According to the UNICEF
We throw more than 2,000 truckloads of plastic into our oceans, rivers and lakes every day.
The UN Secretary General said that fine particles of plastic end up in our food, drinking water and the air we breathe.
Plastic is made from fossil fuels and the more plastic we produce, the more fossil fuels we burn and the more severe the climate crisis, said the UN Secretary-General.
There is a solution to the problem’
However, we have a solution to these problems, including the controversial agreement against plastic pollution, which will be legally binding on the parties. Last week, more than 130 countries negotiated the agreement.
He said that this is a promising first step but we all need to come together.
He said that a new report of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) shows that if people immediately recycle plastic, make the damaged plastic reusable for different purposes and use plastic. By 2040, plastic pollution can be reduced by 80% if steps are taken to end the use altogether.
In his message, the Secretary-General said, “We must unite as governments, companies and consumers to kick the plastic habit and eliminate waste and build a truly circular economy. So as nation we have to prepare ourselves for the upcoming plastic pollution challenges.
