EPA Punjab stands firm for eliminating plastic pollution

LAHORE, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Jul, 2026) The Punjab government has strictly banned the manufacturing, sale, and single-use

plastic shopping bags and polythene bags with a thickness of less than 75 microns.

Strict crackdowns are being carried out, conducted by the Environment Protection

Agency Punjab and the Punjab food Authority to ensure retailers and manufacturers comply.

The ban includes polythene shopping bags under 75 microns, as well as various

single-use disposable plastics, multi-layer packaging, and polystyrene.

EPA official sources said that violations could lead to heavy administrative fines

(ranging from Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 50,000 for shopkeepers), immediate sealing of

businesses, and confiscation of plastic inventory. Manufacturers have started

facing substantially higher consequences.

Meanwhile, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has also launched its first

skimming boat designed to remove plastic waste from canals and rivers, in a major

step towards tackling plastic pollution.

The boat will begin operations as a pilot project in the Lahore Canal, marking the

introduction of a technology-based solution to address water pollution in the province.

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The EPA Punjab officials said the skimming boat, with a waste collection bin installed

at its front, would play a vital role in collecting floating plastic waste from waterways,

supporting the province’s broader campaign against plastic pollution.

They noted that the pilot project would help assess the effectiveness of the technology

before its potential expansion to other canals and rivers across Punjab.

EPA Punjab’s Director General (DG) Dr Imran Hamid Sheikh said that practical measures

were essential to eliminate plastic pollution. He added that the real challenge would begin

after the pledges, as commitments needed to be translated into concrete action.

He reaffirmed the EPA’s determination to eliminate banned the single-use plastic bags

from Punjab and said enforcement teams and special squads would continue operations

against violators across the province.