xcessive use of plastic bags in recent years is a serious threat to the environment. Public health and livelihoods are already suffering on account of it. The production of plastic bags is faster than any other material that can be used as an alternative.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, compared to 2016, plastic consumption is projected to double by 2040. This will generate approximately 400 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. Worryingly, only 36 million, out of this 400 million, will be recycled — leaving 364 million tonnes of plastic non-cycled every year.

Pakistan is among the top 10 plastic polluter countries. According to a report by the United Nations Development Programme, it generates approximately 20 million tonnes of solid waste annually. 3.3 million tonnes out of that is plastic waste. This is the highest in South Asia. About 90 percent of this is disposed of improperly.

The average person is eating plastic about the size of a credit card every weak. This poses serious health hazards to mankind. Currently, Pakistan has no robust policy framework to counter plastic pollution. Given the lack of fiscal resources and due to high vulnerability to climate change, plastic pollution is a significant threat to the country.

To control plastic pollution and its market effects in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, the government imposed a plastic bag ban in August 2019. In the race to development, unchecked plastic waste acts as setback for sustainable development, especially in developing countries. This has far-reaching health, economic and environmental consequences.

Implementing plastic bag bans is an important step towards environmental sustainability and reducing the bad impacts of plastic pollution. Despite imposing a ban on plastic bags to prevent plastic use, the government has failed to control the use of these bags. A major reason for this can be the lack of proper policy formation and implementation process.

The plastic bag ban is largely a policy issue. Lack of knowledge and awareness of the impacts of existing policies and how effective they have been at reducing plastic pollution is one of the major reasons. Non-availability of suitable alternatives is another major concern. Most of the retailers and customers do not have any alternative if they do not use plastic bags.

The cost of some alternatives is much higher. This discourages the retailers from adopting that alternative. For example, the cost of paper bags is much higher than the cost of plastic bags. This cost difference makes it hard to persuade both consumers and retailers. The retailers are quick to realise that the proposed alternative can only increase their costs.

The lack of long-term monitoring and evaluation is another problem. Most of the retailers say that the effectiveness of these bans is limited to the short term because of a lack of monitoring and evaluation from regulatory authorities over a long-term period. Lack of support and incentives, such as provision of low-cost alternatives, from regulatory authorities for this transition is also a big issue the retailers are facing, especially the small and medium retailers.

The cost of some alternatives is much higher. This discourages the retailers from adopting those alternatives. The cost of paper bags, for instance, is much higher than the cost of plastic bags. This cost difference is also a big challenge to persuading both consumers and retailers. 

The reluctance to change is not limited to retailers. The customers too do not have any incentive to adopt alternatives like paper bags and cloth bags. Carrying paper bags is much more inconvenient compared to plastic bags. Lack of awareness is another issue. Many customers do not understand the impact of plastic bag pollution on the environment, health and on the economy.

To bring about a change in the consumers’ behaviour is a big challenge. According to most retailers, consumers demand plastic bags even if they are buying two eggs or a chapati.

Effective action requires synergies between upstream and downstream interventions. Public support, acceptance and buy-in are paramount for effective plastic policies. Coordinated policy approaches are more effective than isolated, standalone actions. Plastic bag bans have been implemented in several regions around the world. The outcomes of the interventions have provided valuable lessons. Some key points to consider when evaluating the impacts of plastic bag bans are outlined below.

To mitigate the challenges discussed above, the government, private sector, civil society and academia need to work together. For any ban to be effective, the entire value chain, from plastic bag producers to end users, needs to be looked at holistically, with robust systems in place at each level.

Rules and regulations can play a crucial role in effective implementation of plastic bag ban policy. Coordination between various government agencies at various levels, from local municipalities to national authorities, must be ensured.

Addressing the knowledge gap and policy reforms are also needed. This can be done through collaboration between academia, the public sector, private sector and civil society. Apart from this, social media awareness campaigns are also needed to spread knowledge about the impact of plastic waste and the benefits of using its alternatives.

Customers and retailers should be encouraged to comply with the plastic ban policy by offering incentives such as discounts, tax breaks, reward systems and special promotions for those who opt for eco-friendly packaging.

The policies and research have focused heavily on the consumption phase; the production phase is not only under-regulated, but also under-researched.

Recycling the waste is another way of dealing with plastic waste. The authorities should collaborate with local recycling programmes and organisations to facilitate proper disposal of packaging materials that cannot be easily replaced by affordable alternatives. Authorities must rethink the prevailing linear model of production and consumption (extraction, manufacturing, disposal) and propose frameworks of circular economy (rethink, recycle, reuse) to reduce the size and impact of plastic waste.

Plastic bags may seem durable, cheap, accessible and easy to carry but have significant negative effects on our environment, health and economy. By making eco-friendly choices and spreading awareness, authorities can reduce their use.

The writer is a lecturer at COMSATS University, Islamabad, Lahore Campus