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Thursday, January 16
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Maharashtra Plastic Ban is an Ill-Conceived, Superficial Solution


Mangalore Today News Network

June 28, 2018: The Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra recently imposed a state-wide ban on plastic that is reportedly said to result in a loss of up to Rs 15,000 crore and nearly 3 lakh jobs. The ban includes carry-bags and thermocol.

 

Plastic Ban.jp


While usage of plastic is an inalienable part of our daily lives, it is also harmful for the environment. But simply banning it doesn’t seem to be the solution.

Can we look for alternative sustainable solutions to the plastic problem without impacting the livelihood of millions who are part of the industry?

A Quick Look at India’s Plastic Industry

In India, the plastic industry has grown exponentially over the years. India consumes around 11 kilograms of plastic per capita per year, while the world consumes 28 kilograms on an average. There are also around 50 thousand units involved in producing plastic in the organised and unorganised sectors.

The industry is worth approximately Rs 1,50,000 crores. It directly employs around 15 million workers in India.

"The ban imposed by Maharashtra from Saturday has hit the industry very hard and the plastic industry is staring at a loss of Rs 15,000 crore, leaving nearly 3 lakh people jobless overnight." - Neemit Punamiya, General Secretary, Plastic Bags Manufacturers Association of India to PTI

The growth of the industry is estimated to be around 12 percent and exports are expected to double from 7.9 billion dollars to around 15 billion dollars in the next five years.

A further impetus will be given to the plastic industry due to migration, which is expected to rise to 140 million by 2020, leading to more domestic plastic consumption.

But the question remains: is banning the use of disposable plastics the right approach, or is the Maharashtra government simply brushing the real concerns under the carpet?

Dependence on Plastic Vs Environmental Hazards

To wish away plastic through legislature is impossible, and the onus to regulate its use and disposal lies on the government.

In spite of that, the Indian packaging industry has been growing at a 15 percent rate in the last five years. The retail sector has received a boost because of the ever-growing Indian middle-class, resulting in innovation in packaging for processing food, beverages, cosmetics etc.

Moreover, the middle-class has fuelled the demand for smaller innovative packaging for sustaining brand equity. The automobile industry uses around thirty percent plastic while making vehicles, leading to more economical cars and simultaneously fueling demand for more plastic.

At the same time, plastic is severely affecting marine life, the soil and human beings. More than 80 percent of tap water in India has been found to be contaminated by plastic fibres which cause diseases. Marine animals ingest plastic with toxins thereby contaminating the food chain. Often, plastics get stuck in their guts, thereby killing them.

Plastic Variants & Alternatives

A considerable amount of research has been conducted to mitigate the problem of plastic pollution. Some of these have led to the introduction of bio-degradable plastics. Non-polymer based plastics, also called biopolymers, degrade when exposed to UV rays and other methods. Some countries, like the UAE, have passed laws making it mandatory to use biodegradable plastics.

This brings us to alternatives.

The replacement of carry bags with jute or cloth is a viable option but the high cost of manufacturing makes people shy away from this alternative. The government needs to provide subsidies to make these options a legitimate alternative in our everyday lives.

Neither has the government initiated a proper policy towards the management of plastic waste, nor has it successfully invested in tackling the source of plastic pollution. On the one hand, we have ‘Make in India’, which emphasizes on the chemical industry which needs plastic. This policy has also allowed 100 percent FDI in the construction sector which relies on plastic.


Courtesy: Yahoo.com


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