The purchase and use of single-use plastic water bottles in all government institutions have been banned with effect from today (31), under a directive issued by the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government.
The directive was communicated through a special circular issued on May 15 to ministry secretaries, provincial chief secretaries, heads of departments, and heads of corporations and statutory bodies.
According to the circular, all state institutions are required to immediately discontinue the purchase and use of single-use plastic water bottles as part of broader efforts to strengthen solid waste management practices within the public sector.
The circular further instructs heads of institutions to take steps to minimize and prevent the use of other single-use plastic products within their respective institutions.
The Ministry noted that provisions introduced under a previous public administration circular issued on April 2 last year remain in force and should continue to be implemented.
Under the guidelines, public institutions are expected to follow the 3R waste management approach — Reduce, Reuse and Recycle — as part of efforts to improve sustainability practices.
According to the Ministry, the circular was issued with the approval of the Ministry of Environment as part of ongoing initiatives to promote environmentally sustainable practices across the state sector and reduce plastic waste generation.
