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note on 'say no to plastic'

Plastic is by far the most ingenious innovation. We go to the corner shop for provisions, or to a bakery or to the local vegetable vendor and conveniently bring back our things in a plastic bag which is lightweight and so convenient.

Decades ago, shopping bags in various sizes made of  cloth and jute were available which would last for almost six months. But now we go hands-free and bring home stuff in plastic bags. But plastic, the ‘Mr convenient’ is becoming a burden, thanks to our irresponsible abandoning of the plastic bags as we please.

Plastic by itself is harmful to the environment when it is manufactured and since most plastic is not biodegradable it causes collateral damage. Plastics are made from petroleum products, except a few forms which are made from resins. Plastics can be moulded  in different forms mainly because of their molecular structure. More than a hundred million tonnes of plastics are produced every year and developed countries produce  the most. They also offload used recyclable plastics to developing countries and unfortunately, India is one of the largest importer of these used plastics.

Carelessly strewn plastic materials cause a lot of damage. They clog drains and are eaten by grazing cattle, which may cause death. Plastic materials obstruct and prevent rain water from seeping into the ground. Many plastic materials may induce cancer and are a proven health hazard. During manufacturing of plastics, many waste by-products contain chlorofluorocarbons which affect the ozone layer and lead to global warming.

There is an urgent need to educate society on the ill effects of plastic so that progressively we can reduce its usage and learn to use alternative products which are eco-friendly and inculcate good practices of plastic disposal.

The garbage we accumulate in our homes should be segregated into biodegradable and non-biodegradable  waste to facilitate proper disposal by a local municipality. A substantial quantity of municipal waste can be reused for energy production or composted for manure but plastic waste which comprises about 10 per cent in weight or 20 per cent in volume is the main impediment. Many cities have woken up to the ill effects of plastic and have banned its use. Hill stations, where tourists flock,  face a huge problem of plastic waste.

It is heartening to note that some hill stations like Ooty in Tamil Nadu, Darjeeling in West Bengal and some cities have completely banned the use of plastic. This is a welcome trend.

After the monsoon, due to continuous water stagnation, roads get damaged.

Since plastic is impermeable and prevents water seepage, it can be used for strengthening the top layer while laying roads, mixed it with bitumen. The Chennai Corporation is collecting plastic waste from Chennaites for this scheme.

For any project to be successful there is a need for creating awareness and a dedicated follow up. Prabhat K Upreti, a college lecturer, has taken up this awareness campaign with missionary zeal and has made a difference in Pittorgarh in Uttar Pradesh. He is affectionately referred to as ‘Polythene Baba’. We require many such noble citizens. Dedicated youth can be an asset. We should realise that mindless use of plastic will result in irretrievable and irreversible  damage to our own neighbourhood. It is not just a  major global issue but also a serious local problem. Our future is at stake. Let us resolve to say no to plastic.

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Plastic is a scourge that is polluting cities in alarming proportions

As you open the gate of your home to go out, you will probably step over used plastic bags, empty biscuit wrappers or even empty pan masala pouches, strewn everywhere from the the street. All over the street, in the drains and on the pavements there are discarded plastic packets and bottles, used packaging and numerous packets with wasted food from the surrounding eateries. Plastic is a scourge that seems to have grown to alarming proportions.

The reason why plastic is an environmental hazard is because it is one of the few modern chemical materials that is not biodegradable. Polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene are the composition base in the manufacture of plastics. These synthetic polymers are easily moulded into complex shapes and have high chemical resistance. Because of these properties they are used to manufacture several durable or disposable goods and for packaging materials.

However, plastic is resistant to biodegradation. A discarded plastic bottle can remain in a land fill for millions of years, so just consider the thousands of plastic bottles we discard on a daily basis. Bangalore alone generates roughly 40 tons of plastic waste per day, so is the city headed for environmental disaster?

Greedy consumption

Shalini of KKPKP (Kagad Kach Patra Kashtaka Panchayat), Pune, says: “The average human in India uses three kg of plastic per person per year. That's far lower than the European who consumes 60 kg per year, and the American who consumes 80 kg. Because we are so populous, the amount of plastic consumed is mindboggling and our disposal habits make it a health hazard. As long as our homes are clean, we are fine; throw all the plastic waste on the road for the corporation sweeper to clean. If they do not, we just sit back and grumble that the municipality is doing nothing.”

That's one reason why drains get clogged in Bangalore during the rains. Look into the open storm water drains which are invariably filled with all sorts of junked plastic. Milk sachets, mineral water bottles, grocery bags, empty plastic cans and containers.A recent trip to Goa and Ooty were definite eye openers. Earlier, both holiday destinations had waste plastic clogging everything from lakes, where tourists took boat rides, to beaches, where even a sea bath meant bringing up discarded fishermen's nets around your ankles.

Today, both cities have a very strict ban on plastic and the results are clearly obvious. What makes it a workable solution is the local population too have enforced the ban, taking personal pride in keeping their cities and market areas free from plastic. Buy fish from the local fisherwoman in the market in Goa and if you have not carried your own cloth bag she will wrap your fish or prawns in newspaper and thrust it in your hands! Ooty has stylish-looking newspaper bags in which your tea, chocolates and spices will be handed over.

We have also aped the disposable culture of the West and over the last decade use everything from disposable razors and pens to large quantities of fancy packaging. Apples or pears are pushed into honeycomb plastic packing to keep them from getting damaged in transit.

What happened to filling our pens with ink or the biscuits that we bought from the baker sans plastic trapping? Maybe we need to take a step back in time and go back a decade to when we did not need the fancy packing.

We all need to take responsibility for this pollution which threatens to overwhelm the city. Carry a shopping bag like we did in the old days or put a basket into the dickey of your car into which you can fill a whole shopping cart. Stop buying bottled water; instead, buy a food grade plastic water bottle and carry your own water. Leave packaging behind in the shop, especially of large white goods, so it can be recycled rather than carry it home. If each of us cut back on our consumption of plastic responsibly, there will be much less floating around the garbage dumps in the city.

 

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Say no to plastic bags     Plastic is an environment Hazard. Polythene bags are polluting, land, water, and air because they are non- biodegradable. A plastic bag if buried in soil will remain there intact even after hundreds of years. Plastic is impermeable to water and air. Hence water cannot percolate down the plastic sheet and it also deprives the soil of the oxygen. Thus it deteriorates the fertility of the land. Plastic is lighter than water and floats on the its surface. It stops mixing of vital Oxygen from air to water. It is lethal for aquatic life. Plastic can neither melt in water nor degrade in soil. It is very difficult to get rid of it. Even burning causes air pollution as many poisonous gases are produced in the process. Thinner than 5 micron plastic bags are especially harmful because if they are mixed in the soil, they cannot be picked. We must ban its uses.
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