In a decisive environmental breakthrough, both Houses of Parliament have passed Senator Sherry Rehman’s Prohibition of Plastic Book Covers Bill, 2026, enforcing an immediate ban on plastic book covers across the Islamabad Capital Territory.
The legislation marks a significant step against single-use plastics and toxic “forever chemicals”, which continue to devastate ecosystems, public health, and urban infrastructure across Pakistan.
Calling it a “necessary intervention against an expanding environmental crisis,” Senator Rehman said the law responded to the accelerating scale of global plastic pollution and Pakistan’s disproportionate vulnerability to its impacts. She added, “I look forward to the ministry making the rules for this and pursuing it.”
Senator Rehman stated, “Plastic can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. It is choking our rivers, storm drains, landfills and coastlines while leaving dangerous microplastics in our food, soil and water. This is no longer an environmental inconvenience, it is a public health emergency.”
Senator Rehman underscored that the legislation came at a time when the world has generated over 400 million tonnes of plastic waste, of which only nine percent has ever been recycled.
Pakistan alone produced nearly three million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with less than three percent recycled, much of it through the informal sector lacking environmental safeguards or accountability.
“These figures expose the scale of neglect,” she said adding, “We are drowning in plastic while recycling remains symbolic rather than systemic.”
The Bill specifically banned the manufacture, import, sale, and use of plastic book covers, a widely used but entirely replaceable single-use product in schools, stationery markets, and retail supply chains. While often perceived as harmless, these covers contributed significantly to microplastic leakage and toxic chemical exposure, particularly in high-temperature environments.
Senator Rehma stated, “Under the new law, violations will attract penalties of up to Rs 50,000 for first-time offences, reflecting the seriousness of environmental non-compliance.
The cost of inaction was far greater than any fine. “Enforcement is not punitive, it is protective. Citizens must also play their part in reporting violations that have become normalised in our markets and schools.”
She added that she would personally begin compliance monitoring of major retail outlets next month, allowing businesses a transition period to phase out plastic materials and adopt sustainable alternatives.
Senator Rehman warned that Islamabad’s green infrastructure was already under pressure from rapid urban expansion, construction, and waste mismanagement. “Islamabad’s green areas are already under strain. The city does not need more toxins clogging its storm drains or adding to non-biodegradable waste burdens,” she noted.
The legislation was expected to reduce pressure on drainage systems, mitigate flood risks linked to clogged infrastructure, and limit the spread of microplastics in soil and water systems.
Senator Rehman stressed that the landmark bill aligned Pakistan with global efforts to phase out unnecessary single-use plastics and transition toward sustainable consumption systems.
“The world is moving away from single-use plastics. Pakistan must not expand their use through outdated retail practices. This is about protecting public health, our ecosystems, and future generations,” she said.