Mardan
Water and sanitation services company Mardan (WSSCM), Abdul Wali khan University Mardan (AWKUM) and Pakistan Red Crescent Society (PRCS) organized an awareness seminar on reduction of plastic pollution.
The main objective of the awareness seminar was to inform and sensitize the students and public about plastic borne diseases, and to highlight the importance that how can we reduce the plastic pollution.
Director General Environmental Protection Agency Anwar Khan, Professor Dr. Dilawar Farhan Shams Chairman Environmental Sciences Department Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan and Ayaz Ali Program officer Pakistan Red crescent society highlighted the importance and objectives of seminar.
Dr. Hameeda Bibi from AWKUM given a brief on mechanism of micro-plastic accumulation and uptake in soil and plant system, Uzma Noreen on bacterial degradation of plastic, and Muhammad Ishaq delivered his speech on plastic recycling technologies while in panel discussion Ayaz Ali from PRCS, Rahatullah from WSSCM, and Dr. Shams Ali Baig from AWKUM participated and given the practical solutions.
DG EPA Anwar Khan said that from 1st February, Khyber Pakhunkhwa government is imposing a complete ban on the use of all types of plastic in the province.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is the only province that has formulated a climate change policy.
He said that the province has established an improvement fund for the reduction of environmental pollution, through which the ideas of the researcher related to improvement of the environment will be funded and supported.
He said water use in service station is a matter of concern and due to excessive extraction of the water this precious resources is being gradually depleted.
While addressing to the participants the speaker said that more than 350 million tons plastic is used globally every year. Pakistan is the sixth largest plastic producing and consuming country.
The speakers said that 20 to 30% of municipal waste contains plastic, in which only 10% can be recycled, while 24% of plastic can be used for energy and 60% of plastic is not used in any ways.
WSSCM Deputy Manager Municipal Services Muhammad Ishaq briefed the participants that wsscm is collecting and disposing 180 tons of garbage from Mardan city on a daily basis, in which more than 7.3% is plastic waste.
If we fail to reduce the use of plastic, it will have worse effects on our environment. The speakers urged all the stakeholders to take measures to control the plastic pollution, through public sensitization, Media and other means of communication.
