* Any views expressed in this article are those of the author and not of Thomson Reuters Foundation.
KABUL, 11 January 2011 (IRIN) - 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. Childrens 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 [ http://www.factsaboutbpa.org/ ] but the UN World Health Organization warns of possible adverse affects on human health. [ http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/bisphenol/en/index.html ] Plastic bags are completely banned, restricted or discouraged in a number of countries. ad/cb © IRIN. All rights reserved. More humanitarian news and analysis: http://www.IRINnews.org