Sindh Govt to Launch Province-Wide Crackdown on Plastic Bags from June 15, Says Environment Secretary at KU Seminar

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                GOVERNMENT OF SINDH

             INFORMATION DEPARTMENT

  DIRECTORATE OF PRESS INFORMATION

       95-Sindh Secretariat 4-B, Karachi.

               Dated: 4 June 2025

 

Sindh Govt to Launch Province-Wide Crackdown on Plastic Bags from June 15, Says Environment Secretary at KU Seminar

 

Plastic Pollution Poses Severe Threat to Ecosystems, Urgent Action Needed, Agha Shahnawaz

 

SEPA Committed to Eliminating Plastic Waste, Crackdown Begins Mid-June, DG Waqar Phulpotto

 

Karachi (June 4) An awareness seminar was jointly organized by the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Department of Mass Communication, University of Karachi, on the occasion of World Environment Day. The seminar focused on raising awareness about the harmful impact of plastic bags and the need for sustainable alternatives. Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Sindh Agha Shahnawaz Khan, SEPA Director General Waqar Hussain Phulpotto, Vice Chancellor of Karachi University Dr. Khalid Iraqi, environmental experts, faculty members, and a large number of students attended the event.

 

In his address, Secretary Agha Shahnawaz Khan said that plastic shopping bags are not only degrading the environment but also destroying the sewerage system. He announced that a strict crackdown on plastic bags will begin in major cities including Karachi, Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas, and Larkana from June 15. “We have held extensive consultations with all stakeholders to ensure effective implementation of the ban,” he added.

 

He further said that plastic pollution is a global environmental crisis, with 11 million tonnes of plastic leaking into ecosystems every year, contaminating soil, water, and food. “We must promote a circular economy and adopt sustainable alternatives,” he emphasized.

 

DG SEPA Waqar Hussain Phulpotto stated that the first phase of the plan involved giving industries time to develop substitutes for plastic bags, and now the policy is being implemented across the province. “From June 15, the use of plastic bags will be completely banned,” he confirmed. He highlighted the importance of public awareness, community engagement, and legal enforcement for the success of this initiative. “We aim to make this province free of plastic pollution. Along with banning plastic bags, we must also reduce the use of plastic bottles,” he said. DG SEPA urged all sectors to support the “No Plastic Carrier Bags” policy and contribute towards making Sindh clean, green, and sustainable.

 

Murad Waheed

Information Officer/ PRO to Secretary Environment, Climate Change and Coastal Development Department,

Government of Sindh