MNCs oppose recyclable bottles ban

According to The Express Tribune, the American Business Forum, the OICCI and the CoRe Alliance are alarmed by a sudden federal decision to stop beverage makers using recyclable PET bottles in the Islamabad Capital Territory. The groups argue the step conflicts with international and local rules, and it has unsettled multinational firms that already meet environmental standards.

The American Business Forum has asked the interior minister to withdraw the proposed ban and enforce the ICT Single-Use Plastics Regulations, 2023. Separately, the OICCI and the alliance have written to the finance, investment and climate change ministers, warning that the measure could weigh on foreign investment and the circular economy. They note that neither the CDA nor the Ministry of Interior has issued a notification on banning PET, while raids and the sealing of retail outlets have been reported.

The CoRe Alliance describes PET as a food-grade, fully recyclable polymer with an established collection and recycling chain, and calls a ban scientifically unjustified. It urges producer-funded collection, recovery targets and better waste segregation instead. Industry experts have also warned against coercive enforcement measures.