Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) and the Ministry of Climate Change will jointly conduct the first-ever carbon footprint of the industrial area in Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) to ensure protection, conservation, and rehabilitation of the environment of the capital city.

The step is meant to measure the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by anthropogenic activities of a particular person, group, sector, company or community, a Pak-EPA official told WealthPK.

The official said carbon dioxide gas emissions are causing environmental degradation, global warming and natural catastrophes.

“Pak-EPA, with the help of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industries and all other industrial bodies, is working to create the first-ever green model industrial zone of Pakistan.”

Pak-EPA, the official said, was running awareness campaigns to help promote the introduction and use of green technologies in the industrial sector to neutralise the effects of pollution.

The official said Pak-EPA’s mandate was to monitor two types of industrial wastes – industrial liquid effluent and industrial air emissions.

He said the EPA had published National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) for municipal and liquid industrial effluent and was ensuring the compliance of the regulations within ICT through monitoring and inspection.

The official said all the steel furnaces in ICT had installed pollution abatement technology in compliance with NEQS. “The steel plants have also installed reverse bag carbon absorbing scrubbers that help contain dark smoke, which is a human health hazard.”

He said every industrial unit was asked to install pollution-reducing technology. “With the cooperation of the Islamabad chamber, the agency is working on installing waste water treatment plants to tackle water pollution from pharmaceutical waste.”

The official said EPA also conducted a 30-day ambient air quality survey of industrial areas of ICT in 2018. “It is regularly monitoring the industrial areas to assess the pollution status of ICT.”

The official said Pak-EPA was also taking legal action against the industries not complying with Pakistan Environmental Protection Act, 1997 and rules and regulations made thereunder.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk