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Afghan government warns of plastic bag risks

Do not carry or keep food in plastic bags, the health ministry says Akmal Dawi/IRIN
Do not carry or keep food in plastic bags, the health ministry says
The Afghan Health Ministry has advised people to avoid using plastic bags, particularly for food, saying they carry health and environmental risks.

“A group of experts has been tasked with studying the harm caused by plastic bags,” said a 10 January Health Ministry statement.

Children’s feeding appliances made of polycarbonate, and plastic bags containing compounds such as Bisphinol-A (BPA), damage human health and the environment, Faizullah Kakar, a public health adviser to President Hamid Karzai, said.

BPA is a controversial compound which has been promoted by some manufacturers but the UN World Health Organization warns of possible adverse affects on human health. Plastic bags are completely banned, restricted or discouraged in a number of countries.

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This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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