Use of plastic continues despite ban
Original story from July last year:-
http://www.qatarliving.com/node/1991339
New story today:-
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=491273...
Use of plastic continues despite ban
By Noimot Olayiwola
Staff Reporter
Long after the expiration of the deadlines set by the authorities to totally phase out the use of plastic or any printed material for packing or serving hot food items, nothing seems to have changed in bakeries, restaurants and other food outlets, Gulf Times found.
The latest deadline was March 1, 2012.
The National Food Control Committee at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) had issued an order last July to stop the use of plastic having found that hot items cause chemical components in plastics to seep into food whose consumption may lead to health problems.
Restaurants serving tea, coffee and other hot beverages were asked to stop serving them in plastic, foam or cork cups after the 90-day deadline.
The use of plastic bags for packing pastry products that are not frozen as well as the use of plastic plates and other utensils have also been banned in eateries.
However, it was business as usual for some eateries, particularly tea shops and some restaurants where plastic is still being conspicuously used.
Some of the managers said they were yet to receive any official notification from the authorities regarding the ban.
Earlier, the committee had suggested that a translucent paper conforming to the country standards (GSO 458/1994) that must not be coloured, have ink or any kind of graphics on it should be used as a replacement for plastic.
The committee was not clear on its precise use, especially for packing items such as bread or khubbs (the Arabic bread), which are presently being wrapped in plastic.
“I don’t think this rule applies to the bakeries because we don’t pack bread hot and I am sure that is why we have not received any information about the ban from the authorities,” a popular bakery supervisor said.
Qatar was to become the first country in the region to prohibit the use of plastics to serve hot food after the ban has become effective in many developed countries.
Toxic chemicals in plastics could lead to diseases like cancer, birth defects, hormone changes, respiratory problems, gastric ulcers as well as eye and liver problems.
Recently in a seemingly controversial move, a senior government official has said that the SCH has advised bakeries and food outlets to use food-grade plastic packaging materials made by Qatar Petrochemical Company (Qapco) saying the products comply with all the food contact regulations of SCH and even those in the European Union and the US.
“Qapco’s lotrene polymers have been proven not to leach any chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer or disrupting hormones,” Qapco vice chairman and chief executive officer Dr Mohamed Yousef al-Mulla had told Gulf Times during a ‘Plastic Awareness Forum’ organised by Qapco.
The official was referring to the new law that came into effect on March 1 regarding the required standards of food packaging wraps.
The decision led to widespread apprehension in the packaged food industry given that there were no viable and effective alternative to plastic food wraps.
Industry sources had pointed out that the packets used for supply of Arab, domestic or English bread and similar items produced by major bakeries in Qatar are made of universally accepted qualities of polypropylene, low density polyethylene (LDPE) or bi-axially oriented polypropylene (BOPP).
Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Germany, which are among the countries that have accorded highest environmental standards to the foodstuffs distributed in their territories, have approved and certified the LDPE or BOPP-made packets, which are of WHO standards, used in major industrial bakeries in Qatar.
-----------------------
"The National Food Control Committee at the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) had issued an order last July to stop the use of plastic"
But
"Some of the managers said they were yet to receive any official notification from the authorities regarding the ban"
I wonder how many have received notification from the authorities regarding the ban?
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=500808&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16
Ban on plastic use by bakeries eased
By Noimot Olayiwola/Staff Reporter
In what seems to be a dramatic turn from its earlier stance to ban the use of plastic in packaging hot food and drinks, the National Food Control Joint Committee at the Supreme Council of Health has now decided to allow bakeries and other outlets to use “food grade” plastic with effect from June 1.
In July last year, health authorities decided to activate a Cabinet decision (No. 1 of 2009) on food packaging after having found that hot items cause chemical components in plastics to leach into food whose consumption may lead to health problems.
It was also found that toxic chemicals in plastics could lead to diseases like cancer, birth defects, hormone changes, respiratory problems, gastric ulcers as well as eye and liver problems.
Qatar was to become the first country in the region to prohibit the use of plastics to serve hot food after the ban has become effective in many developed countries.
Translucent paper conforming to the country standards (GSO 458/1994) that must not be coloured, have ink or any kind of graphics on it had been recommended as a replacement for plastic by the committee.
“Having found out that the only feasible alternative to plastic, which is the translucent paper, can not be produced locally due to unavailability of raw materials and since we will not want to take any step that will trigger price increase in the affected sector by allowing import of the paper, the committee has decided to permit concerned outlets to continue using plastic, but only the approved food graded one,” SCH Public Health Department director Dr Mohamed al-Thani said during a press conference.
“Food graded plastic is already in use in Europe, but we don’t want to import anything since we have the raw materials to produce this kind of plastic locally, so that is why we have sent those samples to Saudi Arabia for checking and approval,” Dr al-Thani stated.
There are plans to set up a similar laboratory, he added.
He mentioned that there would be a quality and food grade logo on the approved plastics, which will further assure consumers that the products are safe for human consumptions.
“We will like to clear the ground that though most of the plastic being used presently for packing bread, especially khubbs, are not food graded, yet the bread are still safe to eat because around 80% of the bakeries are presently using a long cooling system, that is, allowing bread to cool down to around 70 degrees before wrapping in plastic,” he maintained.
good thing..!!
The answer is 'QAPCO'
Ads are not meant to be taken seriously, its just an ad....:)
there was an advert from QAFCO and QATOFIN promoting the use of Plastic o_O?
It's the same with the traffic laws, the law that sponsors can't keep passports, and so on. Funny, indeed!
It remind me the advert by QAPCO, In just about everything..:)
I was among those who cheered the initiative when it was first published, but plenty of folks were skeptical about how feasible implementing it would be. It seems sadly, yet again, the pessimists win. Wonder if the ban will ever emerge from just being on paper into reality!
Fathima I thought this was a great initiative by Qatar. But what I find funny is that they come up with superb ideas like this, and think that by giving a story to the media about it, that it will be implemented and adhered to.
They have to officially inform vendors, they need to indicate a fixed deadline and they need to warn about potential penalties for businesses not conforming. And then they need to be seen to be penalising offenders after the deadline.
I am behind the idea, but I am laughing at its implementation.
"Rules are Meant to be Broken" I suppose these restaurant owners are expecting not only a personal order to apply the ban, but also a cost effective alternative as well. And until then the rules can remain ignored. Funny yes..but kinda sad too!
I find this quite funny :p