Middle Eastern countries, especially Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), United Arab Emirates and Kingdom of Bahrain are continuously dumping their potentially hazardous plastic scrap into Pakistan. This year, to date, almost 9,000 tons of scrap has been imported, 50 percent from KSA alone.
Plastic scrap import figures of March 2013 reveal that out of a total import of 3,194 metric tons, 72 percent of the scrap originated from Middle Eastern countries with 50 percent from Saudi Arabia, 13 percent from Kingdom of Bahrain and 10 percent from The United Arab Emirates.
In the year 2011 and 2012 plastic scrap import statistics indicate that Pakistan has become a major dumping ground for all kinds of plastic scrap, especially from neighbouring Saudi Arabia. Out of over 70 thousand tons of plastic scrap imported in 2011 and 2012, over 32 thousand tons was imported from Saudi Arabia alone.
Sources said that due to massive demolition of infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, thousands of tons of sewage and drainage pipes as well as other plastic scrap becomes liability for Saudi government to dispose it off locally. This is lifted by Pakistani importers without carrying out pre-shipment inspection by any authentic and authorised agency of exporting country. Importers have this potentially hazardous plastic scrap released from Pakistani ports without any proper check. 'We are dumping every kind of plastic scrap in our country because our importers find it extremely lucrative to lift the scrap at a very low price and sell it to consumers in Pakistan at a good profit regardless of its environmental impacts," said a stakeholder.
Sources confirmed that plastic scrap imported from Gulf states comprise of all kind of hazardous scrap such as medical and clinical waste, sewerage and drainage pipes, cable insulation, bottles, food containers, packaging film etc containing contaminants and hazardous traces of pesticides, pest excrement , chemicals, sewerage, infectious diseases, food particles, unknown composition polymers which are toxic and eco toxic.
The irony is that this scrap influx continues in spite of the announcement of a more environmentally conscious Import Policy from the Ministry of Commerce of March 8, 2013. Under the new policy order import of hospital waste of all kind, used sewerage pipes and used chemical containers has been banned. Further more in order to regulate scrap more efficiently it has been decided that plastic scrap/ waste can only be imported by the industrial consumers with checks and balances being placed with provincial Environment Protection Agencies (EPAs) and with the provision that all import consignments are subject to scrutiny by Pre-shipment inspection companies to ensure their compliance with the provisions of the Basel convention.
Industry sources said that the current policy like previous policy limits the import of non hazardous plastic scrap to manufacturers only, however, making it more regulated by assigning manufacturer quota for import. As previously observed most of plastic scrap in Pakistan is imported by traders for resale therefore, the efficacy of newly proposed measures can only be ascertain if its implemented in letter and spirit.
Environmental Protection Department sources believe that plastic scrap is largely imported by traders who neither have proper recycling nor storage facilities in industrial areas instead they use residential neighbourhoods for the their trade, exposing millions of people to hazardous waste.
According to international standards a proper recycling facility should be equipped with a proper washing facility and effluent management system to ensure that effluent generated does not exceed NEQ's limits. Further such facilities are never permitted to operate in residential areas. During the chipping process, dust and fume are generated releasing heavy metals contained within them, leading to risk of dangerous health effects such as lead poisoning.
One can only hope that the letter of the law prevails and that the eco friendly measures taken up by the Ministry of Commerce are implemented in letter and spirit to protect the well being of Pakistani citizens.
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