According to World Health Organization (WHO), an average of open burnt Plastic Bags Pollution releases serious and hazardous air pollutants like a particulate matter of 2.5 microns also known as PM2.5 that can penetrate into human lungs and blood vessels without any interruption due to its minuscule size. It is responsible for causing premature deaths, lungs disorder and damage, and other serious health complications.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched an awareness campaign in educational institutes against the use of non-degradable plastic bags polluting the natural environment in a bid to turn Balochistan free from polythene or plastic bags.
Director Technical EPA Balochistan Engineer Muhammad Khan Utmankhail told APP that the Authority has started its awareness campaign against polythene bags at the school and college level in the province.
The awareness campaign against polythene bags was started in August and will continue till November this year.
“The used plastic shoppers are notorious for choking sewer, open drainage system spoiling sanitation and creating and overall unaesthetic view of the environment, he said, adding the practice of burning it on street sides at dumpsites produces dioxins and furans,” Engineer Khan noted.
In connection with the quarterly awareness campaign, he said that various programs were being organized in different educational institutes of Quetta city.
He said, “EPA Balochistan is on a mission to eradicate the hazard of polythene bags from the province.
The authority has been conducting operations against those manufacturing polythene bags as the government had banned the use of polythene bags to ensure plastic-free environment.
” However, the open burning of garbage or organic rubble was also creating air pollution and the EPA would definitely penalize such people to shun this practice. “It is also the responsibility of the masses to avoid such practice and bring a behavioral change for a clean environment,” he added.
Officials of Balochistan EPA were inspecting different sites in the provincial capital on regular basis regarding the open burning of garbage causing serious air pollution. “Instant garbage burning in the vicinity has been observed with more than five blazes set at the same location with impunity,” he added.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), an average of open burnt Plastic Bags Pollution releases serious and hazardous air pollutants like a particulate matter of 2.5 microns also known as PM2.5 that can penetrate into human lungs and blood vessels without any interruption due to its minuscule size. It is responsible for causing premature deaths, lungs disorder and damage, and other serious health complications.
Originally published at Urdu point