It was also agreed that Lahore Waste Management Company, Plastic Bags Association and Environment Department will work together in this regard. LCCI President Almas Hyder, presided over the meeting while stakeholders from public and private sectors, Lahore Waste Management Company and office bearers of the Plastic Bags Association spoke on the occasion.
LCCI Senior Vice President Khawaja Shahzad Nasir and Vice President Faheem-ur-Rehman Saigal said that closure of industry is not a solution. Instead, government should evolve rules and regulations in consultation with the Plastic Bags Association. They said that plastic bags manufacturing industry is providing direct and indirect employment to thousands of people besides a major source of revenue for the government.
The Association representatives said that over 8,000 factories of plastic bags are providing direct or indirect employment to millions of people. Plastic bags sector is also among the top five revenue generating sectors of Pakistan. It is also backbone of small & medium enterprises (SMEs) and cottage industry. They said that the Association has its own Research & Development and standing committee on environment which has given suitable suggestion and roadmap to the government for the legislation.
They said that plastic bags association has advised min 45 micron thickness and size 12x"15" that can be easily re-used, collected and recycled, which was accepted by technical and legal teams of government of Punjab, however the recent press conference contents of honorable federal minister for climate change seems un-aware of this", they added.
They said that 10 countries have banned less than 30 micron single use shopping bags, 15 countries have banned less than 50 micron single use shopping bags while no country in the world, except Kenya, has banned the shopping bags and that has damaged the economy of Kenya in terms of revenue, un-employment and closure of factories. Since Kenya has abundant jungles, therefore they can afford paper bags.
For sustainable and green environment, the Association proposed a win-win strategy for this very important issue that can lead to green environment and also not banning the plastic bags and saving the economy in different dimensions.