The economic relevance of the plastic industry is high in Pakistan (PBIT 2020), and it is an important part of the manufacturing sector. The country has several policies that deal with plastic and plastic pollution. These policies are primarily command and control measures as well as information policies, whereas market-based measures are missing. Overall, four bans on plastic products are in place at the regional level, as well as two overarching policies that also address plastic waste while generally dealing with waste: the Environmental Act and Solid Waste Management Act and the National Hazardous Waste Management Policy. The existing policies tackle the manufacture, consumption, waste management, and trade of plastic. Only the first stage of the plastics lifecycle, the production of primary plastic polymers, is left untouched.
