Law amended to make kathmandu valley plastic free.by | 02-11-2014 12:39 |
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The Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment has made an amendment to the Plastic Bags Regulation and Control Directives, 2011, to enforce a ban on production, import, storage, sell, distribution and use of plastic bags below 30 microns thick. ?The minimum thickness of plastic bags has been increased to 30 microns from 20 microns as per a Cabinet decision on October 13. The ministry has also made a provision for mandatory production, import, storage, sale, distribution and use of plastic bags with natural colour for the use of water and medicine related products, instead of milk white colour,? said MoSTE Spokesperson Ram Adhar Sah. ?The amendment is expected to reduce environmental degradation caused by haphazard production and use of plastic bags and to respect people?s fundamental right to live in clean environment,? he informed. The amendment to the law is part of government?s preparation to declare the Kathmandu Valley plastic-free zone on Nepali New Year 2072 (April 14, 2015), as per the instruction of the Parliamentary Environment Protection Committee to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. According to the MoSTE, plastic bags that are below 20 microns cannot be recycled. Plastic bags of 30 or more micron thickness can be collected, stored and sold to recycling companies. It will also encourage rag pickers to collect such polythene bags strewn all over the city. The government is also doing the groundwork to encourage polythene factories to gradually switch towards production of biodegradable jute, paper and cotton bags by providing subsidy to eligible factory on the import of equipment to phase-out polythene manufacturing machines. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable in nature and remain in the environment for a long period of time. When burnt, they release fumes containing toxic chemicals which get mixed with air. The MoSTE officials said that around 4.7 million plastic bags are used in the Valley everyday that are neither re-used nor disposed properly. These plastic bags are thrown carelessly on streets which pollute the city. They informed that the country has more than 30 factories producing plastic bags. Source:http://epaper.thehimalayantimes.com/Details.aspx?id=3057&boxid=153275854 The Government effort seems appreciative,hope that it'll be strictly implemented and they'll be able to reach the goal.And it would have been better if government had extended ban not only in the capital but other cities like Pokhara,Chitwan,Dharan etc.
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