PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has imposed complete ban on manufacturing and use of non-biodegradable plastic products in the province.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued a notification on Tuesday to ban manufacturing of non-biodegradable plastic products across the province.

Dr Mohammad Bashir, the director general of EPA, said that forestry, environment and wildlife department also notified KP Prohibition of Non-Biodegradable Plastic Products and Regulation of Oxo-biodegradable Plastic Products Rules, 2017 at the same time.

Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had earlier in August 2015 imposed ban on manufacturing and use of polythene shopping bags in the province, saying use of those bags was main cause of choking of sanitation system as well as environmental degradation.

Manufacturers, retailers taken on board,says official

The rules have been enacted under the section 7 clause XII of KP Environmental Protection Act 2014, which provides EPA with powers to impose ban through an official notification on commencement or operation of any activity or work or mobility or transport in a particular area or premises by declaring it as environmentally sensitive or protected or prohibited for a particular time period as and when required to safeguard the natural environment, prevent and control pollution with prior approval of the government.

The rules state that soon after the commencement, there shall be a complete ban on manufacturing of non-biodegradable plastic products and no person shall import, manufacture, stockpile, trade, supply, distribute, sell or use any non-biodegradable plastic products; provided the existing stocks of non-biodegradable plastic products shall be disposed of by the wholesale dealers and retailers within a period of three months, after the commencements of these rules.

The rules say that any licence or permit, issued to any person for manufacturing, sale, distribution or import, as the case may be, of non-biodegradable plastic products, under any law, for the time being in force, before the commencement of these rules, shall cease to be effective. The holder of any such licence or permit shall not commence or carry a business of manufacturing, selling, distribution or import, as the case may be, of non-biodegradable plastic products.

The rules have also laid pre-conditions for the purpose of registration and make test certificates compulsory for pro-degradant additive from independent third party laboratory that is accredited in accordance with ISO 17025.

These tests shall be carried out in accordance with the methods specified by the authority, ASTM D-6954-04 standard or any other well-reputed international standard and quality authority, duly recognised by government. The reports must clearly state the percentage of pro-degradant additive, which should be consistent for all the tests namely degradation, bio-degradation and eco-toxicity.

About the manufacturing of biodegradable plastic products, the rules state that Oxo-biodegradable plastic products shall be transparent or in a natural shade or white, whereas items, used for purposes other than storing and packaging foodstuffs, shall be manufactured, using pigments and colorants as per ISO 787/1-1 982.

The rules say that no biodegradable plastic product, except for garbage sacks shall be made in black colour and biodegradable as well as recycled plastic shall be marked as unsafe for contact with food.

The rules say that all biodegradable plastic products and all packaging in which such products are offered for sale, shall be prominently marked “biodegradable” and shall bear the identification mark or logo of the supplier of the pro-degradant additive.

These say that those people, who violate the provisions of the rules, may proceed under the section 17 of the Act, which provides for Environmental Protection Order.

Dr Bashir said that they had also taken the manufacturers as well retailers on board before notifying the ban. “It is not permanent solution, rather it is like to lead to such a solution in the future,” Dr Bashir added.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2017