PAKISTAN, like many nations, is grappling with a mounting crisis: plastic waste.

As we mark the International Day of Zero Waste on March 30, it is crucial to recognize that plastic pollution is not merely an environmental issue but an economic, social and political challenge demanding urgent solutions.

While Canada’s battle with single-use plastics offers valuable lessons, Pakistan’s approach must be tailored to its economic constraints, public awareness and infrastructural limitations.

The question we must ask ourselves is: are we willing to redefine convenience for the sake of sustainability?

Globally, plastic consumption has skyrocketed, quadrupling over the last 30 years, while recycling rates remain dismally low.

Only 9% of plastic waste is successfully recycled, and in Pakistan, this figure is even lower.

The rest ends up in landfills, clogs rivers, pollutes cities and infiltrates our food chain in the form of microplastics.

Unlike developed nations, where waste management systems provide some control, Pakistan faces a dual challenge: excessive plastic consumption and a broken waste disposal system.

Addressing this crisis requires a combination of bans, economic incentives and behavioural shifts.

Countries like Canada have attempted different strategies to curb plastic waste, some succeeding while others floundering.

Montreal and Banff have implemented ambitious bans on single-use plastics, including cutlery and polystyrene containers, with high compliance rates.

However,........

© Pakistan Observer