By Abbas Nazil
Plastic bags and other single-use plastic products have become ubiquitous in Kabul, creating a serious environmental challenge for the Afghan capital.
Residents say the low cost and easy availability of plastic items have led to widespread use, with little attention paid to proper disposal or recycling.
After use, plastic is often discarded in streets, canals, and open areas or burned in stoves, causing soil, water, and air pollution while threatening wildlife.
Interviews with residents highlight the lack of an organized recycling system, limited public awareness of plastic hazards, and weak enforcement of existing regulations as key reasons the crisis persists.
Many people, such as Ahmad from Qala-e Najara, note that factories producing plastic are operating within the city, and items like bakery bags have become nearly unavoidable despite their known environmental harm.
Residents who attempt to use cloth or paper bags often find themselves in the minority, and alternatives remain scarce and underutilized.
Mujib, another Kabul resident, stresses that reducing plastic use is critical to protecting public health and the environment, calling for stronger initiatives to replace plastic with safer alternatives.
Environmental experts warn that plastic can persist in nature for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics that contaminate soil, water, and the food chain while releasing harmful chemicals.
Experts such as Kazim Homayoun suggest strict controls on plastic imports and production, alongside green taxes, to reduce consumption in a country lacking recycling and reuse infrastructure.
Sayed Mohammad Soleimankhail also emphasizes that uncontrolled plastic use damages visual aesthetics and contributes to pollution, urging authorities to raise taxes on plastic and limit raw materials.
Kabul produces more than 4,650 tons of waste daily, with plastic comprising a significant portion, including bags, bottles, containers, and decorative items.
The absence of recycling facilities, unscientific burning, improper burial, and uncontrolled dumping have collectively turned plastic into a “silent poison” for the city’s environment and public health.
Despite growing awareness of the dangers, plastic use continues to rise due to affordability and convenience, leaving streets, markets, and waterways increasingly contaminated.
Residents and experts agree that public education, promotion of sustainable alternatives, and coordinated government action are urgently needed to mitigate Kabul’s escalating plastic crisis.
Without decisive intervention, plastic pollution threatens not only environmental quality but also human health, urban livability, and the city’s ecological future.
