The Sindh government has banned plastic water bottle use in all government offices and advised officials to use jugs and glasses for drinking water.
This decision was made during a cabinet meeting. The new guidelines aim to promote environmentally friendly practices within government institutions, according to a notification.
In June 2023, the federal cabinet approved the ‘Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulations 2023’. The legislation aimed to fight littering and prevent carcinogenic and problematic plastic items from entering the market.
Globally plastic production per year has exceeded a whooping magnitude of 459.75 million tons with a cumulative production of 9.5 billion tons in total by 2019. In Pakistan alone, 3.3 million tons of plastic waste is generated annually which is equivalent to the height of two K2 Mountains.
Realising the urgency of action to curb plastic pollution, 175 nations forged synergies at the United Nations Environment Assembly in 2022 to develop an obligatory international agreement to end plastic pollution by 2024.