Seminar on “Challenges and Strategies for Effective Plastic Waste Management to Improve Human Health’’ held on 4th August 2021 at PSF Islamabad
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Federal Minister for Science and Technology Senator Shibli Faraz stressed the need for constituting a regulatory authority to deal with the overall environmental issues with a special focus on the monstrous threats being posed to the environment and human health.
He was addressing a seminar on “Challenges and Strategies for Effective Plastic Management to Improve Human Health” on 4 August 2021 at Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF) Islamabad. The seminar was organized by PSF in collaboration with UNESCO, UNDP, Global Water Challenge, Coca Cola Foundation, and New World. The Federal Minister said that the government is tackling the environmental issues on priority and referred to his government’s initiatives of “billion tree tsunami’ and the imposing ban on the use of plastic bags in the country. He said that the environmental degeneration has become a global issue and it is not specific to any country or region. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan himself was taking keen interest in bringing improvements in this area be it plantation of trees or proper and efficient management of garbage especially plastic waste.
Appreciating the contribution of the Pakistan Science Foundation (PSF), Senator Shibli Faraz said that his ministry was prepared to extend financial support to scientists and university students to come up with problem-solving research projects to bring positive change in the overall socio-economic condition of the common people.
Country Director UNSECO Pakistan Ms. Patricia McPhillips said that plastic pollution is the most pressing issue and had acquired a global dimension. She said that concerted and multi-pronged efforts were required to minimize its devastating effects. She said, “Plastics have invaded our environment at an alarming rate. Not only are plastics a threat to local and global biodiversity, but micro plastics have entered our food chain system,” adding, “we are now eating plastic, which is not a substance meant for human or animal digestion or consumption”.