Environmental impact of plastic bags

Commissioner Mardan Division has recently directed the Deputy Commissioners of his region to launch a crackdown against the use of polythene bags and its businesses in their respective districts. According to the details, the Commissioner expressed displeasure over the lack of interest of the concerned Assistant Commissioners in the campaign against polythene bags and directed them to play their role in eradicating this scourge that destroys the environment.

Polythene bags or plastic bags, have various uses in our daily life. Polythene bags are commonly used in supermarkets and stores to carry purchased items, it is used for product packing, storage and protection of costly items, electronics goods, use as trash bags, waterproofing and insulation purposes. Despite numerous uses and benefits, the plastic bags also have a lot of disadvantages: their disposal can have negative environmental impacts. They can take hundreds of years to decompose, leading to pollution of land and water bodies. Recycling and proper disposal are essential to minimize these impacts. The polythene bags are made from costly renewable energy sources including petroleum, while it is a serious hazard for living organisms including human life, marine life and wildlife.

Although, polythene bags have a wide ranging negative impact on our life yet there is very little awareness and sense of responsibility in our society. Disposal of plastic bags has shaped into a serious problem for authorities due to the worst effect on farming, cleanliness, sanitation, disposal of garbage and recycling. The provincial and local governments along with different institutions and cantonments have time and again imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in their jurisdictions but those measures were placed in specific areas for a limited period of time thus they could not have a sustainable impact on overall society.

In fact, a comprehensive national strategy on plastic bags should be implemented with particular focus on online public awareness campaigns, reducing the use of polythene, promoting alternatives, and ensuring proper disposal of plastic material at the national, provincial or district levels. So, public life does not impact and the plastic bag issue could be dealt with amicably.