OUR PLASTIC BAGS
by Dr. Nitin Mehta

THE July 26,2005 floods, did something more for Mumbai’s citizens besides wrecking havoc in their lives. The blame game started,the administration at the state government and municipal corporation level were at loggerheads and surprisingly, the disaster management team came out with many reasons ,the victim was named - plastic bags. Plastic bags particularly <50 micrometers became the target as they are mainly in use and seen on the roads floating from one direction to another, finally resting near a gutter, clogging stars there .It may not sound like worst crime but for administration and environmentalists alike, plastic bags have become a public enemy. These discarded bags, like any other waste litter around our buildings, streets block the drains and hang around for decades. But surprisingly, the plastic industry maintain that these plastic bags are nowhere near this type of environmental problem. They fill, the reason they are picked on, is they being an easy target and divert attention from the overall environmental irresponsibility. It is a point to be considered seriously, as this year too there were reports of drains clogging during the heavy rains.

The plastic bags introduced in early 1970s have infiltrated in our lives in a big way. About 150 or so bags per every individual person and use is rising. These bags come in all thickness [beginning from <50 mm], shapes and colors, waterproof, robust and convenient to carry. They are odorless, hygienic but they seem to lose sympathy in being termed as waste of resources since throw them away. The Danes , in 1994, were among the first to curb the use of plastic bags when they introduced a tax on all packaging, the usage dropped 66%.. Taiwan in 2001, also introduced a mandatory charge, while in Bangladesh drastic steps were taken, as virtually limited waste disposal facilities available, led to floods in 1988 and 1998. The Buriganga river flowing through the capital Dhaka was damned by plastic bags and choked drains were thought partly responsible. South Africa , in a bid to promote stronger viable alternative , banned the plastic bags <30 mm – manufacturing and selling for use. While in Australia, many towns have opted to go plastic free.

Levying a tax or on the spot fine would not necessarily be beneficial to environment, yes bags do harm the environment, but they form a small part of a bigger problem in considering total waste stream. It shifts the problem elsewhere, more people have to buy proper bags instead of reusing those supplied by super market, and still bulkier waste is produced. This plastic bags have the highest re-use rates than any other disposable product, much more energy efficient to manufacture and transport than other alternatives

While the two – plastic bags manufacturers And environmentalists bicker over the best solutions, the government is still dithering over the Strict implementation of manufacturing, selling and use of bags < 50 mm. Even today, many feel that jumping on the band wagon has done more harm than searching for a practical solution everybody can live with for plastic bags which was once a boon and projected a blight. And now projected a blight.