25% of Delhi’s plastic bags will vanish if ban is enforced
CLEAN CITY Plastic lobby says it will adhere to green court’s order, experts say ban implementation will not be easy
least 25% of the plastic bags would go missing from Delhi’s markets once the National Green Tribunal’s interim ban is implemented.
According to plastic manufacturing associations, most of the fruit, vegetable vendors and grocery owners use the thinner plastic, which is below 50 microns, because it is cheaper, is compact and takes less space.
The NGT has imposed an interim ban on the use of non-biodegradable plastic bags less than 50 microns.
“These make up nearly 25% of the total market share of plastic bags. After the ban, shopkeepers will be left with no other option than to charge extra money for paper bags or plastic ones that are thicker and of superior quality. I don’t think it is going to be an easy affair for the agencies to implement the decision as people are habituated to using these bags,” said Sanjay Singhal, member of a plastic recycling association.
According to experts, the thinner plastic bags can’t be reused again and pose a threat to the environment.
“It is a welcome step. However, it’s execution should be done properly. The government should provide good alternatives. The jute and cotton bags are expensive and need to be subsidised,” Swati Sambyal, waste management expert at Centre for Science and Environment, said.
The plastic lobby says manufacturing of plastic below 50 microns is already prohibited as per factory licensing norms. But unless the government doesn’t work on proper collection, segregation, recycling and processing of plastic waste, the larger problem is not going to resolve.
“We support the NGT’s decision and will help in abiding the norms. But most of the plastic below 50 microns is brought from neighbouring states such as Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh and people are using it in large quantity due to the lackadaisical attitude of the authorities,” said Rajesh Mittal, member, Plastic Manufacturing Association.
The Delhi Pollution Control Committee will have to implement the orders. A senior environment department official said the agency is waiting for the detailed order and based on it, the next course of action will be decided. Most of the plastic garbage bags used at homes are above 50 microns
These, therefore, might not be part of the ban The ones given by vegetable vendors are usually the ones which are thinner and therefore less than 50 microns
These consist of 25% of the market share of plastic bags
Delhi Pollution Control Committee & civic agencies to enforce the ban Thicker and stronger, canvas bags made of cotton are more durable . In comparison to the conventional cotton bags, these bags are lightweight and cost effective. A denim bag in comparison to the plastic bag can hold a lot more quantity. These can be easily washed and preserved for a really long time. Another alternative to plastic is the Jute bag. They are stronger, more durableandare bio-degradable. These inexpensive bags can degrade biologically in two years. Donated cloth and newspapers are recycled and then made into bags and sold through stalls put up by various NGOs across the city The ban on use of non-biodegradable plastic bags was put in place by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) in 2015. The ban is, however, yet to be enforced in the city.
Last year in February, the Gurgaon civic body had launched a drive to make the city polythene bags free.
Under the initiative, the civic body had conducted an awareness drive at the Sector 56 Huda market.
Similarly, on April 1 last year, the Haryana State Pollution Control Board had launched a plastic-free city campaign.
In August 2015, MCG had raided markets in DLF Phase 1, Sector 10 and Sector 56 and seized around 100kg polythene bags.
A fine of was imposed on some shop owners and 16 challans were issued