Maria Imran 
PET packaging ban in business
The PET packaging ban in Islamabad has drawn serious concern from businesses after retailers and Fast-Moving Consumer Goods companies in the Islamabad Capital Territory were verbally instructed to discontinue the sale of products packaged in polyethylene terephthalate bottles. The directions reportedly followed instructions from the Office of the Chief Commissioner and Chairman of the Capital Development Authority.
PET Packaging Ban Raises Questions in Islamabad
Local administration authorities have also begun enforcement actions, including the sealing of retail outlets, according to retailers. Businesses have cautioned that the sudden measures could disrupt commercial activity, affect government revenue generation and unsettle a retail sector that supports daily life across the capital.
The concerns come at a time when the capital’s retail trade contributes meaningfully to employment and tax collection. Industry representatives have stressed that clarity, consultation and a phased approach would help businesses plan, comply and continue serving consumers without interruption.
Recycling Strength Behind PET in Pakistan
PET is a lightweight, food-grade and fully recyclable material backed by a well-established collection and recycling value chain, and post-consumer bottles carry substantial commercial value and are actively used to produce fibres, packaging materials and recycled bottles, which reflects the maturity of the sector in Pakistan.
The recycling ecosystem also supports livelihoods across waste collection, sorting and processing, and many workers and small enterprises depend on this chain, and its growth highlights the practical strengths of the country’s recycling networks.
A blanket prohibition, businesses argue, risks weakening a circular economy framework that has taken years to build, and protecting that framework would preserve both environmental gains and economic opportunity.
Regulatory Alignment and Circular Economy Principles
Businesses have pointed out that a blanket restriction appears inconsistent with the spirit and objectives of the ICT Single-Use Plastics (Prohibition) Regulations, 2023, as well as prevailing international best practices, and such a measure, they argue, lacks scientific support and sits uneasily with globally recognised circular economy principles.
Leading frameworks, including the European Union’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, prioritise recyclability, effective collection and recycling systems, and Extended Producer Responsibility mechanisms, and those models avoid blanket bans on recyclable PET beverage packaging, offering Pakistan a tested template for protecting the environment while preserving industry confidence.
Regulatory certainty also matters for investment, and clear written guidance, developed through consultation with manufacturers, retailers and recyclers, would allow compliance to improve steadily while keeping supply chains intact.
Guides for Life-Cycle Evidence Smarter Packaging Policy
Internationally accepted life-cycle assessments are holistic and include raw material extraction, manufacturing, transportation, collection, recycling and end-of-life management. Replacing PET with glass, aluminium or other single-use materials may not deliver superior environmental outcomes, since heavier materials can raise transport emissions and others demand more energy and resources during production.
Businesses are calling for policy attention to strengthen collection, segregation, recycling and waste management systems to avoid environmental leakage. This would help Islamabad to take the lead in sustainability and also to protect a recyclable and economically valuable material.
A recycling-led strategy would also secure jobs, investment and government revenue. If the city ramps up enforcement and infrastructure, it could be a model for responsible packaging management across the country.
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