Research Objective:

To evaluate the level of awareness of the harms of polythene bags

among the people and determine the feasibility of introducing of
paper/jute bags.

Introduction:

This research focuses on a very common issue of our actual industrial

framework that is global warming. Environmental pollution is the main
problem of this century and it needs immediate detection and measures
in order to be solved. Environmentalists are worried about the
governmental policies about the pollution measures. Environmental
pollution is and is going to be a major dilemma of the future if it is not
fixed in time. Every individual or organization is concerned about their
short-term gains, but only a few cares about the impact of their shortterm gains on the long run and how it impacts the environnement.
In this report, we put a sincere effort to bring forward the serious issue
which is the use of plastic bags and how it harms and degrade the
natural environment. We strived to determine the level of consciousness
of individual about environmental pollution. This report will help you
understand the awareness level of peoples concern about the global
warming and how the polythene bags affect our environment.
What if the use of the plastic bags is discontinued, what consequences
we should be ready to face if it not.
This report highlights the consequences of using plastic bags in depth.
What role plastic bags play in our daily routine lives? A long meticulous
personal and telephonic survey has been conducted for this purpose.

Overview of the Plastic:

Every year, around 500 billion (500,000,000,000) plastic bags are used
throughout the world; over one million plastic bags are being used every
minute and they're impacting on our environment.

India's plastics

consumption is one of the highest in the world, nevertheless little has

been done in order to recycle, re-use and dispose of plastic waste.
Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle for the governements,
thus most end up on landfill sites where they take up to 300 years to
degrade. They break-down

into minuscule toxic particles

that

contaminate the soil and water but also the food chain when animals
accidentally swallow them. The problems around the of waste plastic
bags begins long before they photo degrade into particules.
Plactics has been placed at the center of necessity by World War II. A
rubber substitute called vinyl was used by Allied troops for waterproof
tents and boots. Then, it was only in the 1950s that plastics began to
come into wide use in international arena; within few years, production
has boomed at a rate beyond compare. World consumption of plastics
is now comparable with the consumption of all non-ferrous metals.
Forecasts concerning the production of resins indicate that the
economies

of

many

developed

and

developing

countries

are

increasingly relying on the use of plastics. In this regard the most

intractable problem relating to plastics and the environment has been so
far their disposal. Land filling on one hand is increasingly seen to pose
problems of environmental impact, because the availability of suitable
sites is decreasing day by day. Moreover, the leaching of the plastic
additives into the ground waters is now being questioned. On the other
hand, uncontrolled burning of plastics including polyethylene in the
dumping sites and other areas is not acceptable environment-wise. The

controlled incineration of plastic waste is also raising concerns in some

cases.
Polyethylene

materials

are

not

bio-degradable.

Whenever

polyethylene bag is thrown away, it does not decompose through

natural process. It contributes to the accumulation of non-destructive
waste of permanent nature. If anybody looks at any garbage dumping
site, he will observe this fact that although other garbage matter get
decomposed and merged into the soil but polyethylene bags remain
intact with their different colors especially the black colored polyethylene
bags. Polyethylene remains intact in the soil and disturbs the flow of
nutrients to the soil and hinders entering sunlight. It destroys the
beneficial bacteria of soil and losses soil fertility. It hinders the way of
soil compaction, which in the long run effects the construction of
foundation of the different structure.
The use of polyethylene is not environment friendly. Medical reports find
it as an agent of cancer, skin diseases and other health problems. The
users are more exposed to these types of health hazards when
polyethylene is used to pack bread, biscuits, potato chips or other food
items. In the developed countries, food is wrapped in food-graded
plastic or polyethylene, but in Bangladesh this was not strictly followed
and sometimes colorants are used, some of which may be
carcinogenic.
Polyethylene industries for shopping bag production emerged in
Bangladesh in early 80's and within a decade the industry reached in
such a level that the jute bag production forced to be almost closed.
The use of polyethylene shopping bags had been so enormous that one
could find the polyethylene bags everywhere i.e in the street,

dumpsites, drains, ditches, open-fields, roop tops, hanging from trees

and overhead cables, floating on ponds, canals, rivers.
Survey report showed that near about 10 million polyethylene bags
were used everyday and every year about 3000 million bags were
dumped in Dhaka City alone. The steadily growing use of polyethylene
bags posed an ominous environmental problem in the city as well as in
rural areas. This enormous use of polyethylene bags led to - severe
environmental impacts like soil degradation, loss of soil fertility, blocking
up of drainage and sewerage systems, causing water logging and the
spread of harmful microbes and bacteria. The worst example of adverse
effect caused due to polyethylene bags was the delaying process of
recession of flood water in Dhaka city during 1998.
One of the effective ways of management of polyethylene bags is
recycling/reuse of post-consumer polyethylene bags for other useful
purposes. But the state of recycling in Bangladesh again posed some
other environmental hazards and some means of transmission of
diseases. The burning of polythene in open air produces the threat of
poisonous gas like carbon mono-oxide, carbon di-oxide hydrogen
cyanide those causes health hazard to the people. The people who are
involved in collection of polythene bags are the most vulnerable group.

Basic Terms
What is recycling? What can we do?
Recycling means that we take products that have been used and turn
them into something else to use again.
Most of the things that we use every day are made from resources that
come from the earth, and that have been processed and turned into
other products. When we throw away these products (like a juice bottle,
for example), they normally end up in a landfill. Unfortunately, a lot of
the things that we use and throw away will never break down or
biodegrade. For example, when a plant dies, small organisms and
bacteria in the soil can break it down and return it into the soil to be
used by new plants. This process of decomposition is nature's way of
recycling. When we recycle items like a juice bottle, our wastes don't get
thrown into a landfill, but instead are re-used in other products.
Starting recycling programs at school is a great way help raise recycling
awareness in your community.

What is pollution?
There are many types of pollution happening today, even in your city.
One type of pollution we hear about a lot here in Santa Barbara is oil
pollution. This can be spillage or even leakage of processed oil into
oceans. Other types of pollution include air pollution (the layer of brown
clouds you see when you go to Los Angeles and other big cities).
Pollution from sewage and drainage into rivers and oceans also is a
serious problem for our environment. Finally, deforestation and industry
development can also be thought of as ways the environment is being
polluted.

How does pollution affect rivers, oceans, and our ecosystem?

Our rivers, lakes and oceans are affected by pollution in many ways. First and
foremost, the organisms that live in these places are often harmed by
pollution. The water can be polluted by chemical and product leaks, which
may cause the animals who live in the water to get sick. Animals who are high
up on the food chain can also get sick from toxic build up in their bodies from
eating other affected animals and plants. Air pollution also has very negative
effects on our atmosphere. There is a hole in our ozone due to pollution in the
air. If this hole gets bigger we wont be as protected from the sunlight and it's
heat. Many years from now this could pose a serious threat to humans.

Secondary Research
Ban on use of Plastic Bags
Background:
Used plastic shoppers are notorious for choking sewer, open drainage
system spoiling sanitation and creating an overall unaesthetic view of
environment. The practice of burning them on street sides at dump sites
produces dioxins and furans, which are excessively and extensively
being inhaled by human beings. Due to their extreme toxicity of human
system, they are responsible for producing serious diseases under
universally accepted international requirement, dioxins and furans are
required to be absolutely absent in air. Because of polyethylene the raw
material being on-degradable in nature, the plastic bag continued to be
present in the environment and contribute their undesirable impacts for
a very extended period. Since they are extensively used in cities,
therefore, these adverse impacts are extremely visible in urban areas.
Plastic bags are favored for a number of their desirable properties such
as low weight, durability, and for a number of their other end uses like
convenience in packing food stuff and other multifarious items besides
virtually no cast to the end user that is customer. Where the very
characteristic cause tremendous rise in their use in day to day life there
at the same time unethical disposal of the used shopping bags adds to
the entire problem in totality. And the situation has appeared now in the
form of a menace to the environment in the form of choking of sewage
resulting in oozing out owe fully dirty water on streets making stinking
pools as good breeding grounds for a number of vectors of diseases
like flies and mosquitoes. These vectors spread diseases like cholera,
typhoid, diarrhea, awful odor, contamination of drinking water thus
further spreading these diseases and even hepatitis B and spoiling
sanitation more dominantly in the bigger cities of Pakistan.

Efforts
On the request of EPA-Sindh the Government Sindh imposed a ban on
the production. Sales, purchase and use of black polyethylene bags
form 26 August 1994. The Punjab Environmental protection department
imposed ban on black polyethylene bags from 5 June 1995.
The Baluchistan Government promulgated on ordinance on 19 February
2001 titled: The Baluchistan prohibition on use and sale of polythene
bags ordinance 2001, Prohibiting sales and use of polythene bags, in
the province. Since, no color of bag is specified; it transpires that, bags
of all colors have been banned. The department of industries, NWFP
has banned the manufacturer of polyethylene bags in the province.
Similarly, there is a Prime Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan
directive to impose a complete ban on use of polyethylene bags issued
wide PMs Sectt.U.O.No.778/PSPM/97, dated 22-02-1997. This ban
extends to all type of shoppers including black one.
Anti-polythene Campaign in Pakistan
After years of appeals by citizens and environmentalists, the government of
Sindh moved against the offending bags in 2006 by introducing an ordinance
which later became the Sindh Prohibition of Manufacturing, Sale and Use of
Polythene Bags Act-2006. This prohibited the manufacture, sale and use of
black polythene bags, including any bags under 30 microns thickness, and
set the punishment at a three-month prison term, a fine of Rs50,000, or both.
On March 15, 2007, the Sindh environmental department and the City District
Government Karachi (CDGK) started cracking down on the manufacturers
and vendors of polythene bags in the banned category. Given that the
provincial environmental department was unable to frame rules in line with the
Act and also lacked the magisterial power required for the purpose, the ban
was enforced through Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC)
and on two different occasions, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal ordered a
ban on the manufacture of such bags for 30 days.

However, under the provisions of the law, the city government may not invoke
Section 144 of the CrPc for the third consecutive time on the same subject,
claimed a source.

Shopkeepers can be seen using paper bags all over the city since a ban was
imposed on use of polythene bags by the Sindh government under section
144 on the request of the CDGK last week, which declared plastic bags a
threat to the citys sewerage infrastructure and environment.
Despite facing problems in carrying goods purchased from shops, a majority
of citizens welcomed the move but demanded of the authorities to compel
shopkeepers to provide them merchandise in paper or cloth bags.
Burning of polythene bags was also causing environmental pollution, owing to
which the CDGK decided to ban both their use and manufacturing. Those
associated with the production of polythene bags were advised to switch over
to production of paper and cloth bags. if alternatives to polythene bags were
not promoted at this stage, the current campaign would just fizzle out like the
CDGKs past initiative in this regard.
environmental pollution, plastic bags a threat to the citys sewerage
infrastructure and environment

Effects of Anti-polythene Campaign:

Polythene bags manufacturers and their trading bodies have started
approaching the city administration to get some relief in manufacturing plastic
bags, arguing that they use these bags to pack shipments for exports to other
countries and provinces where the use of polythene bags was yet to be
banned.
The closure of manufacturing plants in days of economic recession would
result in joblessness of hundreds of workers.

Viewpoint
The manufacturers of the plastic bags oppose the ban on plastic bags,
arguing that, employment of thousands of person depends upon such
cottage industries, which manufacture polyethylene bags. The ban will
render many people jobless. They opine that in absence of polyethylene
bags, if papers are to be used then, it will involve cutting of more trees,
which is not advisable. The argue that this issue is basically that of
proper collection of the solid waste. If the waste is collected by the
municipal agencies on diurnal basis, then, there would be no
polyethylene bags in dust bins. Consequently, bags will not get air born,
to create nuisance. Collection of solid waste on diurnal basis will have a
beneficial impact. If all the solid wastes generated are collected
regularly, then the nuisance of plastic bags will be minimized to a large
extent. A committee was also constituted on the direction of Chief
Minister Punjab to technically review the whole issue.
Benefits of the Paper Bag

100% reusable, recyclable and biodegradable.

Easier to carry than plastic bags.

Holds more items than plastic bags = fewer bags to handle.

Environmentally preferred.

Contains 40% post-consumer recycled material.

A renewable resource - comes from trees.

1. Paper is made from a renewable resource, trees. We can plant more trees,
and we do!
2. Paper grocery bags are strong enough to hold up to 20 pounds of groceries
without breakingand can be reused again and again.
3. Paper grocery bags are made by workers in the paper factory (and recycled
by paper mills here too).
4. You'll have plenty of containers to put your used paper, cans, or bottles in
for recycling.

5. Your groceries won't slide all over the car on the way home.
6. You can be part of the Billion Bags Campaign to reuse and recycle paper
bags and boxes.
7. Paper bags are the shopper's choice (according to a survey by Willard
Bishop Consulting).
8. Paper bags are biodegradable (a plastic bag would still be in a landfill 1,000
years from now).
9. The messages on paper grocery bags are printed with water-based inks.
These inks are safer for the environment and make is easier for paper mills to
recycle the bags into new paper.

Some facts about Paper Bags

Paper Grocery Bags Are Great Recycling Containers For:
1.

More paper grocery bags (and lunch and shopping bags)

2.

Small pieces of corrugated (cardboard) boxes

3.

Household paper (mail, notebook paper, magazines...)

4.

Cans, glass jars and bottles, and plastic bottles that don't fit in recycling

bins (in some towns, you can use paper bags to separate items inside
recycling bins, too!).
5.

Recycle bags and boxes together at curbside or drop-off recycling

sites.

Suggestions
1.) There is need to create an awareness and develop a thinking that an
individual made
a promise to himself as
a)

I promise to recycle all the paper products collected in my community

(such as paper grocery bags, corrugated boxes, newspapers, milk cartons,

cereal boxes, mail, office paper, magazines, and catalogs).
b)

I know the paper I recycle is used as a raw material to make new paper

products, so it is important to recycle right. I pledge to pay attention to my

community's recycling rules.
c)

Because paper grocery bags can be reused and recycled, I promise to

say "Paper, Please" at the grocery store

Primary Research

In our primary research we tried to find out the awareness level among
people.
In this regard we use different techniques for getting information. The
following three survey techniques were used in the research process

O Personal Interviews
O Questionnaire
O Telephonic Survey
O Focus Group Discussion

Research Findings
Respondents Gender

Education

Frequency of Grocery shopping

Are you conscious about environmental pollution?

Do you agree that plastic bags are the cause of

environmental pollution?

If yes, then how plastic bags harms the environment

and individuals?
Wasted not Destroyable
Sewerage Problem
Chemically Made
Problem with disposing
Land barren
Health

Did you ever notice after using the plastic bag what
you did of it?

If yes, then what you did of it?

Throw in the Street
Keep with you for future purposes
Look for dust bin to trash
Not in list? Then?

0
16%
77.7%
0

Do you know that suffocation of plastic bags can

harm children?

Should Plastic Bags be used in spite of its impact in

the environment?

Have you heard of the ban on Poly bags in some areas

of country and worldwide?

Do you think the decision to ban the use of plastic bag

is good and needed one?

Will a Complete Ban on Plastic Bag be acceptable?

By not Using the Plastic Bag

You can tick more than one

Avoid the foreign exchange loss

38%

incurred on import of chemicals

used in plastic bags production.
Encourage Domestic Energy by

72%

using cotton bag that is produced

with local material
Generate employment opportunities 27.7%
in textile

Should a few plastic bag manufacturers be allowed to

derail a measure so important to public health?

What Difficulties you find in stopping the use of

plastic bags?
Availability
Liquid carrying
Reusable bags are left at home
If any alternative is available then no difficulty
Political issues

Do you feel your social responsibility to say NO to

plastic Bags?

Can you say NO to plastic bags at the time of

shopping and demand for other substitute?

According to you which is the best substitute to the

plastic bag?
Paper bags

5.55%

Jute Bags

72%

(Cotton/cloth or Canvas)
Both

27.7%

Do you Suggest any other substitute?

Cloth Bags
Wood Baskets
Thick Plastic baskets
If products are delivered at home no need for bag at all

Present Status:
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan environmental protection council PEPC in its
10th meeting decided to conduct a study to tackle the issue of plastic
shopping bags accordingly; the provinces were requested to implement the
decision. The Provincial Government while taking the significant of the issue
took necessary steps which includes
The Government of Punjab, Government of Sindh, and Government of
Baluchistan promulgated ordinances to prohibit manufacturing, sale,
use and import of black polythene bags or any other polythene below a
specific thickness.
O Restricted import of plastic waste, paring and scrap through import
policy.
O A continues awareness campaign through print media with a support of
NGOs for discouraging the use of plastic shopping bags, promotion of
alternative and its safe disposal.
O Under activity based capacity development ABCD project, one of the
objectives includes development of awareness campaign and other
strategies to address the management and safe disposal of plastic
wastes and shopping bags.

QUESTIONNAIRE

Name (Optional)

__________________________________________
Location

__________________________________________
Age
O 20-25
O 25-30
O 30-35
O 35-40

Education
O Matriculation
O Graduate
O Master

How frequently do you go for grocery shopping?

O Twice a Day
O Daily
O Twice a week
O Weekly
O Monthly
O __________

Are you conscious about environmental pollution?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Do you agree that plastic bags are the cause of environmental

pollution?

Yes

No

Dont Know

If yes, then how plastic bags harm the environment and

individuals?

Did you ever notice after using plastic bags what you do of it?

Yes

No

Dont Know

If yes, then what you do with it?

O Throw in the street
O Keep with you for future purchase
O Look for dust bin to trash
O Not in list? then
_________________________________________

Do you know that suffocation of plastic bag can harm children?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Should plastic bags be used in spite of its impact in the

environment?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Have you heard of the ban on plastic bag in some areas of the
country and worldwide?
Yes

No

Dont Know

Do you think that decision to ban the use of plastic bag is good
and needed one?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Will a complete ban on plastic bag be acceptable?

Yes

No

Dont Know

By not using the plastic bags, we can

*you can tick more

than one.

O Avoid the foreign exchange loss incurred on imported

chemicals used in plastic bag production.
O Encourage domestic industry by using cotton bag that is
produced with local material.
O Generate employment opportunities in textiles.

Should a few plastic bag manufacturers be allowed to derail a

measure so important to public health?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Strictly Not

What difficulties you find in stopping the use of plastic bags?

Do you feel your social responsibility to say NO to plastic bags?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Can you say NO to plastic bag at the time of shopping and

demand for other substitutes?

Yes

No

Dont Know

According to you, which is the best substitute for plastic bag?

O Paper Bags
O Jute Bag (cotton/cloth/canvas)
O Both

Do you suggest any other substitute?

_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
___

Do you think that there is need to launch the awareness

campaign concerning the harms of plastic bags?

Yes

No

Dont Know

Do you think it is better option to bring your own shopping bag to

market?
Yes

No

Dont Know

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING

THE TIME

TO COMPLETE THIS QUESTIONNAIRE

Summary and Conclusion

Our research topic was to find out the awareness level among people
that to what degree they inclined towards the environmental friendly
products. And in this regard are they familiar about the harms of
polythene bags. And whether they want to have some other alternative
available to take part practically towards the betterment of environment.
Limitations in research:
We took secondary as well as primary research to find out the level of
awareness among people. The limitations that we faced during research
are mentioned below. Even though Time, Money and Resources were
the ultimate constrains of the research.
Secondary Research:
In secondary research we use different alternatives like;
Internet
Magazines
Newspapers
Books on environmentalism
And the limitations were;
O We could not get the sufficient data related to our own country.
O Some websites were out of services
O Problem of fit between the data available and data requires

O Geographical Locations were also one of the constrains to know

about people perception and behavior about global warming and

environmental friendly products.
Primary Research:
Our primary research comprises of
Questionnaire:
We get the questionnaire from the students of IMS and the employees
of The Bank Alfalah. But the major problem we faced was;
Non-response error
Ignorance: People do not know much about the sensitivity
of the product but they try to reach very genius.
Like when they were asked whether do you agree that
plastic bags cause environment pollution? They replied with
positive node. But when it was asked how? They were
speechless.
Telephoning Survey:
In telephoning survey we used personal phone book to know about
people behavior. And in this tool we face a problem
Courtesy Biasness: The respondents did not answer what they
perceived based on their knowledge and perception, rather they
answered what we want.

Conclusion:
We conclude that whether the use of plastic bags is seriously injurious
for the environment but according to research there are some
advantages and disadvantages of polythene bags:
Disadvantages of stopping polythene bag use
The participants mentioned some difficulties in stopping polythene bag
use. Some shopkeepers said that a few shoppers refuse to buy goods
from them now, looking elsewhere for someone who will give them a
polythene bag. Shoppers also said that it is difficult to carry fish and
certain dry goods like rice and dal, and to wrap items to store in the
refrigerator.
Participants also said that they face problems when wishing to buy
something, if they do not happen to have a bag with them.
It is impossible to take a bag with you to the office, explained one
man. The men explain that now when they leave home, they must stop
and think, Where am I going? Will I buy anything? However, the
general consensus was that it is simply a matter of breaking a habit,
and that the difficulty will only last a few days.
The difficulty will last a few days, but it will be good for the future.
In general, participants also felt that while polythene bags are bad for
the environment, they are far more convenient than current alternatives.
One man in particular expressed a wish for biodegradable one-use
bags. However, others expressed the feeling that one-use bags are
always bad for the environment. They still take time to biodegrade, and
thus could still block drains. If they are produced with chemicals they
will be bad for the environment, and if they utilize imported materials,
then they will be a drain on the economy, as opposed to the use of jute
bags.

Advantages of stopping polythene bag use:

Some of the shopkeepers even expressed pleasure, complaining that
previously customers insisted on having a polythene bag with each
purchaseone banana, one bag; one egg, one bag. It is now easier for
them to refuse such demands. The participants seem to enjoy reviving
the use of jute bags.
One man expressed great pleasure at the ban, discussing the economic
as well as environmental advantages. He explained that since raw
materials are imported for production of polythene bags, and since the
bags are produced by machines and thus require little labor, there are
two economic disadvantages: loss of foreign exchange to import raw
materials, and few employment gains. He contrasted those problems
against the advantages of jute bags, which are produced with local
materials and employ far more people in their production

Recommendations:
To eliminate the problems being faced and to alleviate the solution, possible
recommendations are:
O Since, employment of many people depends on this industry, any
major action may render the people jobless, there is need to encourage
these people to adopt alternate substitutes.
O All solid waste generated, should be collected strictly on diurnal basis.
O The top three forth portion of the dust bins should be covered. This will
obstruct the flight of polyethylene bags.
O Options of biodegradable bags should be carefully considered.
O Since, the bags get air bone. Due its light weight the manufacture of
bags with adequate thickness be allowed to prevent its flight. The
Islamic Republic of Pakistans standard institution may prescribe the
thickness and the quality of the bags.
O Arrangements with plastic manufacturers may be made, who could set
up recycling centers, where they can buy the used plastic bags. These
can then be recycled.
The city government, along with the plastic manufactures may start a mass
awareness program on a large scale. This will, at least, prevent the house
wives from the throwing the plastic bags outside of their homes.

O LIST OF SOURCES
O RESOURCE CONTSTRAINTS
O ACCURACY AND IMPORTANCE OF THE SOURCES

www.environment.gov.pk

www.climatecrisis.net

www.iso.14000

www.epa.gov

www.globalfootprints.org

www.naturalnews.com

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

www.google.com

www.images.google.com

www.epaper.dawn.com

Strategic Management
By: Fred. R. David.

An Inconvenient Truth
The movie

O Lectures by Ms. Zarin Shoaib. Term fall 2008.