Punjab government is going to introduce a new policy regarding plastic bags by incorporating the reforms introduced by Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhawa.

Issue regarding the material, size and thickness of plastic bags had been settled with the manufacturers' association. However, the technical and scientific panel is also being formed for further recommendations.

Punjab Environment Minister Muhammad Rizwan disclosed this at a seminar organized by the Environment Protection department in collaboration with NGO Agahee here on Wednesday. The title of the seminar was "no plastic bag campaign: under the clean and green."

The minister said that plastic bags are posing a grave risk to the environment and human health. MPA Uzma Kardar, Chairman WASA Sheikh Imtiaz, CEO Agahee Mubarak Ali and other related persons attended the seminar.

DD EPD Ali Ejaz delivered welcome speech and threw the light on importance of seminar to control pollution.

Chairman Judicial Commission, former Justice Ali Akbar in his address said that the Lahore High Court banned use of plastic bags at all mega stores in the provincial metropolis and gave them 15-day deadline to comply with the order and switch to alternative shopping bags.

Justice Shahid Karim said that direction is being made to the Punjab government to legislate on banning use, manufacture and sale of polythene bags and introduce a necessary legislation in this regard.

DG EPD Tanveer Waraich said that as per the latest research of local and international organisations, the polythene bags were found to have been a cause of major environment disasters. DG EPD said that it was pertinent to mention that Environmental Protection Department (EPD), Punjab, has already declared biodegradable plastic bags harmful for environment.

He further said that decomposing of bags sounds environment-friendly but it requires a lot of energy and bags do not degrade in landfills and leave toxic leftovers.

"This is why European Union has also started discouraging the use and production of biodegradable plastic and bags", he maintained.