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The plastic industry has said the Maharashtra government's decision to ban all plastic bags is unfair and that educating the public about its ill effects, coupled with existing legislation, will solve the problem.
Following the deluge of July 26, when huge amounts of plastic choked the drains of the city, the Maharashtra government in August said it will ban manufacture of all plastic bags.
At a press conference in Mumbai, organised by the Indian Centre for Plastic in the Environment, industry representatives said they will also pull up their socks and ensure manufacturers stick to stipulated standards.
They also said they would do their bit in spreading awareness.
"We are ready to print the manufacturers name, the thickness and the material on the bag," said Vijay Merchant, in-charge of NGO-Projects at ICPE.
Representatives said they will make recycling arrangements if the ban is not implemented.
"We will set up localised recycling units, which will ensure that all plastic consumed by the public is recycled," said Mahesh Shah, president of Plastindia Foundation.
They wanted better public awareness about the harms of plastic. "For example, we can follow the two-bin system, which is now in place in Delhi. Biodegradable waste will go into one, and the non-biodegradable into the other," he said.
Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay Director Ashok Mishra said there was need for more civic responsibility and also effort from the government. "When a statute is in place, the government should ensure that it is implemented properly," he said.
When asked about the by-products of recycling, Mishra said recycled plastic had many uses.
"When mixed with tar, it makes for better road quality. It has been tested at various stretches in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, and the results have been very successful," he said.
The Centre had in 1999 banned plastic bags lesser than 25 microns in thickness. It also directed the states to ensure that all bags have the manufacturer's name on them.
Some defenders
Meanwhile, at an interactive session organised by the Indian Center for Plastics in the Environment on Thursday, which discussed the pros and cons of the state government's draft order on discontinuation of plastic bags, it was stated that once the proposed ban on the plastic bags in Maharashtra comes into force, the Rs 500 crore (Rs 5 billion) export business of plastic bags may find it tough to remain afloat.
After the July 26 floods in Mumbai, the government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has put the blame on the plastic bags choking the city drains. However, the representatives of All India Plastic Manufacturers Association and ICPE looked unsatisfied with the reasons provided for banning the plastic bags.
Rather, they asked for implementation of proper waste management system in the city. Had the waste been properly handled, there would have been no choking of drains. "The decision of banning the plastic bags is not the solution. People should be properly told to have a proper disposal system," said Sujit Banerji of ICPE.
"Widespread use of plastic bags is because of its user-friendliness. At the same time its manufacturing requires least amount of resources and less energy," said P P Kharas of ICPE and MD, Ecoplast Ltd.
Ashok Misra, director of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, said that there is no point in carrying a thicker material when we are provided with a thinner and lighter one.
"I am not convinced that the reason behind banning the plastic is fair enough," he said. "Why are we allowing people to throw the bags, when it can be recycled?" Misra asks.
Asking what will happen if the ban comes into force, Vijay Merchant of ICPE, said, "We are in talks with the government and BMC and I hope we will get some positive feedback."
As the use of plastic bag is necessary in case of garbage packing, the banning may not be a fruitful thing. "Everybody, right from the household level has to take the responsibility of disposing the used plastic bags properly so that it can be recycled," said Kharas.
As far as the norm of 20-25 micron plastic bags is concerned, "We are asking the government to make it mandatory for all the manufacturers to print their names as well as the thickness of the bags. This will reduce the chances of production of plastics less than 20 microns. If any manufacturer does not print, actions can be taken against them," added Kharas.
"We are in talks with the BMC in order to increase the number of wards in Mumbai where proper disposal can be brought into force which will help in improvising the recycling industry of plastic bags," said Vijay Merchant.
Plastic bags are supportive to commodity transaction, which is more cost effective than other packaging meterials, said Ashok Misra, director, IIT Mumbai.
By using the potential of the recycling technology, authorities can sort out the problems persisting now, Misra said.
"Packaging is one of the biggest problem of the present day society. So the markets can't survive without plastic. Paper and glass are poor packaging substitutes. Again, plastic is more energy saving than paper and glass at the production stage which has been proven by the scientists. Plastic provides assistance to environment-friendly packaging. In place of 30 gm of paper, just five gm of plastic is needed," added Misra.
"Chance for breakage is less for a plastic bag as it is light and strong. The users should wash and reuse these bags than throwing it away after a single use. And it is the government's duty to develop civic sense in the people and regulate its use," he said.
Blanket ban is not the solution for solving all the problems. Plastic play an important role in the packaging of milk, bread, oil and salt. Wet food products like fish, meat and poultry items need transparent and water proof packaging materials. Through proper waste management system problems created by plastic can be solved, Misra pointed out.
Additional inputs: Business Standard