Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
•Indiaisreportedto
have a relatively high
plastic recycling rate
of 60% as compared
to the world average
of 20%
•Thebagsresponsible
for creating most of
the littering in India
have thickness of
5-10 μm
•Atechnologystandardthatrequires
carrier bags and containers made of
recycled plastic and used for purposes
other than storing and packaging
foodstuffs be manufactured using
pigments as per Bureau of Indian
Standards (BIS) speciications.
Manufacturers of recycled plastic
carrier bags are required to mark
them according to BIS speciications,
including stating the percentage of
recycled material used
•HimachalPradeshhasimplementeda
total ban on plastic bag production,
storage, use, sale and distribution.
Penalties are severe (they include up to
seven years imprisonment or a ine of
up to 100,000 Rupees)
•InMumbai,theCouncilbannedplastic
bags. Market traders now hand out
recycled paper bags
•TheTamilNaduGovernmentin
June 2011 announced in the State
Legislature, to ban the use of plastic
carrier bags made of virgin plastics
or recycled plastics of less than 60
μm thickness and (20-30 cm) in
size. Recycling of plastics will also
be strictly regulated in accordance
with the speciications of the BIS. It
is also planned to launch a massive
clean-up drive in all the towns and
villages, as well as launching education
and communication campaigns for
sensitising the public to refusing non-
degradable plastics [36]
•ThePollutionControlBoardsofsome
of the States are also educating the
public on the dangers of improper
disposal and the advantages of
alternatives using advertisements on
buses, media campaigns and exhibitions
•InPanaji,Goa,acampaign
involves donating old newspapers
and magazines to local charitable
organisations. These newspapers are
made into paper bags and sold to shops
or pharmacies to reduce the use of
plastic bags. Income generated from
these bags in turn is helping the charity
organisations to buy provisions and
medicines
•Thedesiredfallinwasteful
consumption of plastics has
not been achieved. In general,
the policy instruments had
an inherent limitation in
bringing about waste and litter
minimisation as they primarily
sought to achieve this by
promoting re-use and recycling
•Onthecontrary,theroot
causes of littering, namely,
proligate consumption,
indiscriminate use and
disposal and an effective waste
management system have not
been adequately addressed.
However, some improvements
in recent years have been
reported in cities and towns
that have initiated strong anti-
litter programmes
•IntheKanyakumaridistrict
of Tamil Nadu, where the ban
on plastic carrier bags and
cups was imposed in October
2009, the number of violations
have already been reduced to
less than 3%, as per reports
available from the District
authorities
