In pursuance of direction of the honorable Lahore High Court, Lahore in the writ petition No. 227807 / 2018, the Polythene Waste Collection and Disposal Policy of District Attock is hereby enacted as follows:
1. Short Title of the Policy
This policy may be called as the Polythene Waste Collection and Disposal Policy of District Attock.
Definitions: (1) In this policy, unless there is anything repugnant to the subject or context:
a) “Act” means the Punjab Environmental Protection Act, 1997 (XXXIV of 1997)
b) “Regulations” mean Production and Consumption of Single Use Plastic Product Regulations, 2023.
c) "Banned Single-Use Plastics" means any single-use plastics.
d) “Government” means government of the Punjab.
e) "Agency" means Environment Protection Agency, Attock
f) "District" means District Attock.
g) “Producer” means a person engaged in manufacture, transformation or import of single-use plastic product.
h) “Consumer” means a person either commercially or in bulk, consumes single use plastic product excluding the single-household users and hospitals.
i) “Collector” means a person, voluntarily engaged, or authorized for picking up and temporary storing of recyclable plastic waste excluding rag pickers.
j) “Recycler” means a person engaged in the process of recycling of plastic waste.
k) "Single-Use Plastics (SUPs)" means such plastic items or products, or packaging intended to be used once for shorter period of time before being disposed of or thrown away.
l) RWMC means Rawalpindi Waste Management Company
2. Burden of Plastic in Punjab Province
The plastic industry is one of the emerging industries throughout the Pakistan and also in Punjab. It is widely used in all household appliances, construction, and packaging. Pakistan Plastic Manufacturing Association states out of 11,000 plastic establishments (plastic manufacturing units including recycling units in formal and informal sector) in Pakistan, 65% are in Punjab.
Polythene bags are umbiquous in all Pakistan particularly in Punjab. Research shows that 15 billion plastic bags are used yearly in Lahore, and on average, a garbage picker picks 05 plastic bags in a day. They are Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) bags for which Punjab is reported to have the highest demand for single-use plastic and other plastic based products (approximately 1.3 million tons/annum) for daily life in the form of LDPE bags and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles. A total of 15.348 million tons of solid waste is generated per year in Punjab, out of which 1.22 million tons is plastic waste. This plastic has multiple impacts on health of humans and environment. Polythene bags when burnt, release dioxins and furans that are carcinogenic. They destroy aquatic habitat, and on abrasion and degradation release micro and nanoplastics that are known to be detrimental for human health.
3. Profile of District Attock
District Attock is present in the north of the country. It occupies an area of 6857 km2 and borders Chakwal in South, Mianwali South West, Rawalpindi in East and KPK in the north and West. It has 6 Tehsils: Attock, Hassan Abdal, Fatehjang, Hazro, Pindigheb and Jand. It has 72 union councils and 455 villages. Farming is the major source of livelihood. Mulching associated with farming adds to the plastic pollution. However, the district lacks research that reveals a comprehensive data of the consumption of polythene bags, plastic waste generation, its disposal and handling. The district have six Municipal Committees and one District Council comprising on 71 Union Councils, Solid waste management of the District Attock is going to be outsourced to Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) by the Government, which will be responsible for segregated waste collection and recycling if recyclable waste. No large-scale producer is operating in the district, thus shifting the focus of the policy to consumers, collectors, and recycler. The district also lacks large scale consumers, collectors and recyclers; however, a few small-scale dealers are operating in the district. There is one solid waste recycling plant is working at Tehsil Hazro. It is primarily involved in waste segregation and compost formation from organic waste and outsource the collected plastic and polythene waste to a recycler.
The district lacks a comprehensive policy to collect and dispose polythene bags in an environmentally, socially, and economically sound manner. Global and national efforts are also aimed at curbing the plastic menace. In 2002, during United Nations Environment Assembly Session in Nairobi, the states have pledged to reach at an international legally binding agreement by 2024 to end plastic pollution. In December 2023, it was decided that the theme of Earth Day 2024 will be “Planet Vs. Plastic”. Honourable Lahore High court in its recent hearing on writ petition no. 227807-2018 directed that a comprehensive policy be enacted in each District for collection and disposal of polythene bags. Hence, this policy has been devised to keep pace with the country’s international and national commitments towards environmental sustainability and plastic pollution reduction. This policy constitutes five strategies and sixteen targets set forth under these strategies.
4. Aims and Objectives of the Policy
Aim of the policy is environmental conservation and single use plastic reduction by transforming the way in which polythene waste is conventionally collected and disposed off in the district.
5. Foundation Principle of the Policy
The policy suggests implementable collection and disposal of polythene bags in the district by following reduce, reuse, and recycle (3Rs) principles.
6. Process of Policy Formulation
The policy has been developed after consultation with all the stakeholders that include all relevant government departments in the district, administrators of the Local Government, Manager of the Hazro recycling plant, academia, research institutions and environmental and policy experts.
The policy draws influence from Punjab Plastic Management Strategy, 2023 and contains three-phase action-plan for implementation of this policy i.e. short term (up till FY-2025), medium-term (up till FY 2027), and long-term (up till FY 2030). As per the directions of Chief Minister Punjab and Production and Consumption of Single Use Plastic Products Regulations, 2023, SUPs mentioned in schedule I of the regulations and containing polythene packaging are going to be banned from 5th June, 2024. Furthermore, the thickness of Single-use plastic shopping bag is going to be fixed at 75 micron at the start, which will subsequently be enhanced to 125 micron till FY 2030. This will aid in reducing the amount of polythene waste and will also aid in making transition towards a circular economy. The policy proposes some alternatives to SUPs as enlisted in schedule III of Plastic Management Strategy, Punjab.
7. Strategies and Targets of the Policy
The policy revolves around following five strategies and sixteen targets set to implement these strategies.
S.no. Strategy Targets Desired Outcome
1 Regulating the Consumption, Collection, and Disposal of Polythene Shopping Bags. 1) In the first phase all the shopping bags having thickness less than 75 micron will be banned till FY 2025, by FY 2027 the allowed thickness will be elevated to > 100 micron and up till FY 2030, it will be increased to >125 micron.
2) Mandatory registration of all the consumers, collectors and recyclers will be ensured by FY 2025. • Reduction in quantity of waste
• Increase in the cost of polythene bags
• Increased efficiency of recycling.
2 Promotion of Research and Recycling Infrastructure 3) Hold regular seminars and conferences for quantification, collection, and recycling of polythene waste.
4) Sign MOU with research institutes for pilot scale research on sustainable polythene alternatives and efficient recycling of polythene waste.
5) Establishment of recycling plants in every Tehsil of the district. • Setting the way forward for existing polythene disposal.
• Efficient collection and recycling of future polythene waste.
3 Fixing of Fee and its Mechanism 6) Relevant departments will be consulted for increasing levies on polythene bags. Household consumers will be made to pay for an extra amount for every polythene bag that they purchase.
7) After 05 June, 2024, fine will be imposed and legal proceedings will be started on anyone who is engaged in the production, consumption, and storage, etc., of the banned single-use plastic. This will be done in accordance with subsection (2) of section 17 of the Act. • Reduction in polythene waste by discouraging people.
4 Training of Polythene Consumers 8) Devise training programs for the large-scale consumers, so tat they may ensure 100% collection of the polythene that they sale and subsequently channel it to the recycler.
9) Initiate programs in collaboration with relevant educational/training institutes for polythene stakeholders.
10) Train representatives from all union councils for segregation of polythene waste at source level and channelizing it to the registered collector. • All consumers will play their part in implementing 3Rs principle for polythene waste.
5 Dissemination of Awareness at Grassroot Level 11) Mahol Dost volunteers team constituting universities’ students will be formed. They will be responsible for arranging awareness campaigns in their respective areas.
12) Disseminate all the legal frameworks including guidelines etc. related to plastic, and particularly for polythene.
13) Establishment of Environmental Councils at all government and private schools. They will be responsible for dissemination of information regarding negative impacts of the polythene in their households and neighbours.
14) Displaying plastic hazard messages at the large points of sale.
15) Dissemination of public awareness messages via TV channels, magazines, and local newspapers.
16) Arranging talk shows on local radio and TV channels regarding the national and international obligations on plastics and negative environmental and health impacts of polythene and other SUPs. • Grassroot awareness will be generated.
8. Implementation Mechanism
8.1. Establishment of District Polythene Monitoring Committee (DPMC)
Composition of the Committee is as following:
1. Deputy Commissioner, Attock. Chairperson
2. Assistant Director, Environment Protection Agency, Attock. Secretary
3. Deputy Director, Local Government & Community Development, Attock. Member
4. District Officer Industries, Prices, Weights, and Measures, Attock. Member
5. District Information Officer, Attock. Member
6. Chief Executive Officer, District Education Authority, Attock Member
7. Chief Executive Officer, District Health Authority, Attock Member
8. Deputy Director (Additional) Agriculture, Attock. Member
9. Chief Executive Officers of all Municipal Corporations and District Councils of Attock. Member
10 President/Chairman Trade Union, Attock. Member
11 President/Chairman of Polythene Distributors, Attock. Member
12 Representative from the ruling political party Member
8.2. Scope and Mandate of District Polythene Monitoring Committee
DPMC will monitor the implementation of Polythene Waste Collection and Disposal Policy of District Attock by formulating its own procedures for its functioning. It will act as the platform wherein all the upcoming issues and challenges associated with the implementation of the policy will be discussed with all the stakeholders.
8.3. Mandatory Registration of Plastic Consumers
The person or entity dealing with the plastic must register itself with the relevant local governments. An electronic database will be developed in the due course for management of this registration.
8.4. Public Proclamation
The aims of the policy can not be achieved without effective public participation. This can be achieved through raising massive awareness regarding the detrimental health and environmental impacts of polythene bags. Therefore, detailed activities have been charted out which are as under:
i. Seminars will be conducted in all the four universities of the district.
ii. Mahol Dost Volunteers will be registered from all the universities who will aid in educating shopkeepers and retailers along with the distribution of pamphlets, brochures, and leaflets.
iii. Polythene mitigation messages will be read periodically in the morning assemblies of schools.
iv. Environmental councils in schools will be established and member students of these councils will be responsible for raising awareness in their households and neighbours.
v. Training sessions will be arranged for consumers regarding alternatives to polythene.