Revolutionizing plastic waste management in Pakistan: Challenges in policy implementation and future directions

Pakistan has experienced an increase in plastic waste generation from domestic consumption and imports from developed countries. Based on the 7th population census (2023), country generates approximately 3.2 million tons (Mt) of plastic waste annually which is projected to reach 4.79 Mt by 2050 at a 1.5% annual growth rate. Due to the limited infrastructure for collection, treatment, and recycling, around 85% of the plastic waste remains mismanaged in urban areas and 100% in rural regions. An estimated 200,000-333,000 waste scavengers serve as the primary recovery mechanism within the informal sector. This study adopts a bottom-up methodology to estimate the plastic waste using the waste amount characterization studies (WACS) from 14 cities. Moreover, assessment of trade, recycling potential, and regulatory frameworks were also discussed. Pakistan imported plastic waste worth of USD 18.77 million in 2024, mainly from the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, and the United States. These imports constitute approximately 1.4% of domestic generation showing that the accumulation is largely driven by domestic consumption and inadequate end-of-life management. The analysis distinguishes two policy failure levels. Pakistan has had federal and provincial laws and single-use plastic bans since 1997. The second binding constraint is implementation, with six gaps: no operational Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system, unharmonized federal and provincial mandates, non-recognition of the informal recovery sector, no collection and recycling infrastructure, weak customs enforcement of Basel-aligned import controls, and no national data Each gap is addressed by enforcement budgets, inter-provincial coordination, waste picker integration, and national monitoring. Adding limits is less credible than sequencing these efforts to satisfy Pakistan’s Basel Convention and Sustainable Development Goals.