Lahore: Death by toxic plastic!

The City District Government Lahore officials sealed four factories that were manufacturing kitchen items from toxic hospital waste, placing a question mark on the hygiene of kitchen items available in the local market, Pakistan Today learnt on Tuesday. Furthermore, experts have said that this incident also sheds light on the efficacy of the Health Department, adding that every day items such as straws, cups, bowls and glasses were also being manufactured from toxic hospital waste. Per details, Sufi Plastic (Shahdra), Aziz Plastic Dana Factory (Bund Road), Aliyas hospital godowns (Bund Road) Hassan Hospital godowns (Bund road) and others were using medical goods like syringes, blood bags, glucose bottles and urine bags in bulk to make plastic items. CDGL officials also confiscated around 50 tonnes of toxic hospital waste from these units which was being brought in from various cities, especially Gujranwala and Peshawar. “These units have been around for a long time and were using syringes and other waste to make plastic utensils while they were also recycling drips and reselling them in the market,” an official asking not to be named told Pakistan Today. “Plastic in and of itself is dangerous and reusing toxic hospital waste is unimaginable,” experts said while talking to Pakistan Today, adding that hospital waste contained extremely dangerous viruses and bacteria that could cause fatal diseases. According to a research, over 500 plastic products available to consumers including baby bottles, containers, sandwich bags and plastic wraps, could contain toxic waste particles that could increase cancer risks among women. According to the Environment Inspector Yasir Gul, “We are on a lookout for more such factories and we will conduct raids all over the province.”