Department of Environment (DoE) under the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, which enforced a ban on the use of plastic bags below 40 microns, has launched monitoring plastic industries in Kathmandu from Monday.

The Department monitored eight factories within the Balaju and Patan industrial area under the first round of monitoring, according to Surendra Subedi, Deputy Director General of the Department. 

"During our monitoring, we did not find any factories manufacturing plastic bags below 40 microns," said Subedi. 

The government has banned the production and usage of plastic bags below 40 microns in the Kathmandu Valley whereas the plastic bags below 30 microns are prohibited outside the valley. 

"Other 34 plastic industries outside of the industrial area in Kathmandu Valley will also be under the scrutiny of Department," shared Subedi, adding that other plastic factories outside Kathmandu valley will also be monitored gradually. 

The Department today inspected the industries exercising the Environment Protection Act, 2054 and Environment Protection Regulation 2055, it was shared. 

There are 40 plastic bag manufacturing factories registered at the Department of Cottage and Small Industries. 

Since some manufacturers were learned to have been producing plastic bags from their home, the DoE will step up its monitoring in the coming days, according to Deputy DG Subedi. RSS