Increasing use of plastic causes environmental pollution: Experts

HYDERABAD: Environment, water, and IT experts have expressed that the increasing use of plastic in the country is the cause of environmental pollution and urban flooding and emphasized that government, NGOs, and industries should play their role in reducing plastic pollution by recycling plastic waste in innovative ways, and ensure the implementation the rules of plastic bans.

The experts said this while addressing a seminar organized under the theme of "Solution to Plastic Pollution" on the occasion of World Environment Day under the auspices of Sindh Agriculture University, in collaboration with Growth and Development Foundation and Waste Cycling Center Sindh at Dr. AM Sheikh Auditorium on Monday.

Speaking at the seminar, Vice Chancellor of Sindh Agriculture University Dr. Fateh Marri said that Karachi is the industrial hub of the country, but due to public inattention, and the use of plastic bags and bottles, the drainage system of the city is being blocked, and there is a constant risk of urban flooding during the rainy season. He said that green industries should be promoted in the country, while it is necessary for the people and institutions to implement the existing environmental rules and laws on the part of the government.

Dr Arbela Bhutto Vice Chancellor of Shaheed Allah Bakhsh Soomro University of Art and Design said that dustbins are kept inside institutions, commercial centers, and offices, and later the dust bin waste is thrown in open spaces, there is a need for public awareness and to reduce plastic waste and improve waste management practices.

Dr. Altaf Ali Siyal, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and a water expert, said that due to the conversion of riverside forests into agricultural lands, forests in Sindh province have reduced to 2.5 percent. He said the replenishment of saline water from RBOD into Manchhur Lake accumulates 1 million metric tons of salt, while the conversion of Chotiariyan Lake into an artificial dam has resulted in siltation of the agriculture land.

Dr. Muhammad Ismail Kumbhar, Director of University Advancement and Financial Assistance said that according to WWF, Pakistan is among the top ten countries affected by plastic pollution in the world, while seas, rivers, and lakes are affected by plastic waste.

Prof. Dr. Pinjal Butt, of the Information Technology Center, said the world has moved towards paperless ideas, and we may be the last generation to use paper. He said that for the production of one ton of paper, we have to use 17 trees, 700 gallons of water, and 380 gallons of oil and 4000 kilowatts of electricity.

Abdul Haq Banglani said that unnecessary emails, duplicate files, apps, photos, and videos on mobiles, and laptops are all digital waste, which generates more than 900 million tons of carbon dioxide each year through the Internet and its supporting systems.

Dr. Shaukat Ali Abro said that the world is facing a plastic problem, but it is possible with the ban on plastic products to avoid plastic pollution and the modern method of recycling plastic waste.

Bashir Ahmad Abro, Miss Ishrat Hussain, Anila Memon also spoke on the occasion, Dean of Crop Production Faculty Dr. Inayatullah Rajpar, former Principal of Mehran Engineering College Khairpur Dr. Kania Lal, President Women Chamber of Commerce Ms. Shahida Talpur, Parvez Banbhan and others were also present.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023