Addressing the nation from the ramparts of Red Fort on 15-August-2019, PM Sri Narendra Modi emphasised on the eradication of plastic. He appealed the nation to stop using the 'Single-use' plastic/polythene bags and make India free from it by 2022. His appeal was very well taken. People came out in wholehearted support of his appeal.
As a mark of respect to the great anchorite, the ban on the manufacture and use of 'Single-use' plastic/polythene bags was made effective from 02-October-2019 on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. However, products like PET bottles for water packaging and multilayered plastic for food packaging et cetera have been temporarily kept out of the ban. The stakeholders have been advised to look for viable alternatives soon. Albeit not a blanket ban, eyebrows were raised, especially by the plastic manufacturing units, on the decision.
According to the All India Plastic Manufacturers' Association, 30,000 plastic processing units are operational in India. With annual turn over of Rs 2.25 lakh crores, the industry employs over 4 million people. The ban might affect the industry. "If an Industry operates following all the rules, you cannot suddenly say its products will be banned," says Anil Reddy Vennam, Director of Nayastrap, Hyderabad and VP, South All India Plastic Manufacturer's Association. Therefore, as Prime minister has rightly said, an evolution of alternate means is of paramount importance keeping in mind the future of employed work-force and involved capital in the industry. The hazardous effects of the 'Single-use' plastic on the environment, however, outweigh other considerations. This is why despite sporadic resentments of the stakeholders, the decision has a widespread approval of the people.
Plastic is a low cost complex organic compound; lightweight and easy to mould. Its thermoplastic group can be reheated and reshaped repeatedly. The versatility, ease of use and low cost popularized the use of plastic. Since 1950 when the commercial production of plastic was started, the production has outpaced its recycling. An estimated one to five trillion plastic bags are globally consumed each year. The huge piling of used and discarded plastic is a great threat to the environment and consequently on human health. The term 'Single-use plastic' is applied for plastic products like plastic spoons, plates, water glasses, pouches and products such as cigarette butts, plastic (PET) drinking bottles, bottle caps which are used only for once and is discarded thereafter. The piling plastic waste not only presents an ugly scene but also contaminate the environment as well. Made up of expanded polystyrene foam, commonly known as 'Styrofoam', the plastic bags and containers take long years (estimated 1000 years) to decompose and keep contaminating soil and water. It is to be remembered that the plastics are not bio-degradable. They are photo-degraded which slowly break down into small microplastic fragments. The transformation of plastic into microplastic is high on sea beaches and seashore because of high UV radiation and abrasion by sea waves. The suspended microplastics going into the system and passively in food chain results in the poisoning of biotic components. In cities, on the other hand, the accumulated polythene clogs the drainage which results in waterlogging and vector born disease.
In 2015 an estimated 47% of the total 300 million tonnes of produced plastic were used in packaging. Insignificant 21% of plastic waste was recycled or incinerated while about 79% of dumped in landfills. Notably, not all types of plastic are recycled. The multi-layer plastic (MLP) used in the packaging of food items are not recyclable since they contain other materials in them. The collection, segregation and transportation of waste plastic for recycling and/or incineration is intensive labour oriented and economically unviable. Globally only 9% is recycled. The huge gap in production and recycling/disposal results in piling of unmanageable plastic waste.
In India, about 60% of the generated plastic is recycled. So far as recycling is concerned, contrary to the world scenario, it is a bit encouraging. Out of 26,000 ton per day (TPD) of generated plastic waste, about 15,600 TPD was recycled during 2017-18. About eight million tonnes of plastic waste enter the ocean every year. Alarmingly, in the year 2015 Ganga poured significant 1.5 lakh tones of plastic waste in the ocean. Aspiring to grow tourism as a thriving industry, India cannot afford such an ugly picture. Effective measures have to be adopted to keep the cities free from garbage and used plastic.
India intends to increase plastic consumption. In 2016 it was decided to increase per capita plastic consumption from current 11 kg to 20 kg by 2022. The yawning gap between production and disposal/recycling, the decision might further augment the problem. The gargantuan plastic menace needs a revisit to the decision.
A clean and healthy environment is the need of time. Piling plastic garbage is a serious threat to the environment. It causes harm to the soil and makes it barren, contaminates slowly but surely the water bodies and groundwater. The solution of the problem lies in discouraging sternly the blatant use of 'Single-use' plastic by strictly enforcing the decision to ban it.
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