Production of packaging containers to expand
By Mirsaid Ibrahimzade
The production of packaging containers, which will be used instead of plastic bags, is expected to be expanded in Azerbaijan, Turkan Karimzade, an employee of the Azerbaijani Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, said on February 19.
One of the main measures is to expand the use of paper packaging, which is an alternative to plastic bags.
Karimzade stressed that the ministry is learning from international experience in plastic packaging waste management.
"To use the UK experience, the British plastic and solid household waste management system was studied, in particular, plastic packaging waste management rules. The Ministry of Ecology continues its instructive work to reduce the negative impact of waste plastic packaging on environment and expanding the use of alternative packaging materials,” she said.
The Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources continues to carry out enlightenment to reduce the environmental impact of waste plastic packages and expand the use of alternative materials for packages.
Several measures to decrease adverse effect of plastic bags were announced. One of them was switching to paid plastic bags. The aim of this policy is crystal clear, to create tendency among the population to carry non plastic containers and decrease waste materials.
Earlier, it was announced that the country will ban the use of disposable plastic bags up to 20 microns thick.
Every year 24 kilograms of plastic waste accounts for a citizen of the country, according to statistics. Compared to 2009, the production of plastic bags in Azerbaijan has almost doubled, and their imports increased by almost five times.
More than 1,000 plastic bags are used by average Azerbaijani citizen every year. Meanwhile, the number of plastic bags used worldwide is estimated at 1 trillion annually. According to a UN report, eight million tons of plastic waste is thrown into the ocean annually.
Plastic bags production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption. Just imagine that the amount of petroleum used to make 1 plastic bag would drive a car about 11 meters. Meanwhile, trillions of these bags are produced annually around the world.
Many developed countries are working to reduce the use or prohibit the plastic utensils. In most countries, plastic bags are paid or subject to environmental tax. Such measures encourage the population to use paper, cotton, linen bags.
Generally, plastic bags with a thickness of less than 50 microns constitute an important part of packages produced both in the world and in Azerbaijan. Compared with thicker packages, they are less reused and play a large role in environmental pollution. Lightweight plastic bags are resistant to decomposition in nature and, decomposing, they harm nature for at least 400 years. They disintegrate into pieces, fall into the soil, water, into animals and eventually return back to us with the food. Therefore, such a large and still increasing use of these packages is considered undesirable.
---
Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz