Medical waste recovered from Rawal Lake during clean-up drive

ISLAMABAD: Used syringes, medical waste and plastic debris were collected from the banks of Rawal Lake during a clean-up drive held on Thursday ahead of World Environment Day, bringing fresh attention to pollution at one of the capital’s main water reservoirs.

The campaign was organised by the Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency in collaboration with Nestlé Pakistan and was hosted by the Punjab Small Dams Department as part of activities for Environment Week. Officials said volunteers removed a substantial amount of solid waste from the lake’s shoreline and nearby areas.

According to officials, the material recovered included discarded syringes and other medical waste. Environmental authorities described the presence of such waste as a serious risk to public health as well as to the lake’s ecosystem.

Students, civil society representatives and members of the local community took part in the drive. The director general of Pak-EPA said the presence of hospital waste and plastic pollution at the lake underscored the need for sustained efforts to protect natural resources.