Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Despite ban on polythene bags, the use and production continues and goes unchecked in the federal capital due to lukewarm attitude of the authorities concerned.

A resident Shahid Akram of sector G9 said that the stall holders at Sunday Bazars use black polythene bags without any hesitation as they dodge customers by selling substandard items and customers get noticed when they reached home. A shopper Farzana Ahmed said, “Under the nose of Capital Development Authority (CDA), the stall holders of fruit and vegetable at the same time cheat the buyers by selling substandard food items”.

An official said, “The ban on polythene bags is entirely in favour of human health and the sale, purchase and use of polythene plastic bags completely banned in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT)”. “As it has number of health hazards, the usage of polythene bags is not recommended by the health experts and it can not be disposed off as it involves mixing a small quantity of a petroleum based compound or olefin with the polyethylene resins. Dr Arif Majeed said that the olefin introduces biodegradation characteristics to the plastic, which are activated when the plastic comes in contact with air and bacteria can decompose the weak molecular structure of the plastic.