France, the romance capital, the picnic getaway, is the first country in the world to ban plastic plates, cups. Exceptions are made for bio-sourced materials. The new law is seen as a part of the country’s Energy transition for Green Growth Act. This very law also banned plastic bags in supermarkets and grocery stores. And one could safely say that, most countries have embraced this law of banning plastic bags, but none have implemented it so harshly as France. The general idea behind the law is to curb global warming.
It is very important to explore the ban on plastic around the globe and in India. After studying the pattern in India, particularly, by conducting a research that reveals the ground reality it is found that some countries have taken harsh steps in favour of environmental well being, and their efforts should be applauded for doing so, at the same time the inadequacy of the government machinery to enforce the law in some places should also be revealed.
To begin with the basic fact, #plastics are not #biodegradable. They release toxic fumes into the air when burnt, and the residual ash pollutes the #environment. When mixed with wet waste they release gases such as #ammonia and #greenhousegases like #methane, which are toxic and foul smelling. While many countries have banned plastic completely, namely Rwanda, Eritrea, Kenya, Mauritania, Tanzania, China, Taiwan and Macedonia—the real test is to see the results in a capitalist economy. Talking about capitalist economy, and sparing good thoughts for the #environment, San Francisco has been the trailblazer. With an ordinance to ban the sale of #plasticwaterbottles on city-owned property, San Francisco has taken the step forward to silence all such speculations. By 2020, the city aims to have no waste going to its landfill.
France, as mentioned before has banned plastic bags too, that has come into effect in two stages: on July 1, 2016 for lightweight shopping bags and January 1, 2017 (which means, it is already in effect) for packaging bags for fruits and vegetables. According to the French government, 5 billion plastic bags are distributed at tills and 12 billion are used to package fruit and vegetables. Many of them end up in oceans, where they are a disaster for marine life, which can ingest them. They also feed the huge “#sea” of plastic formed by large currents.
Not only that, Europe is serious about its commitment to the larger #environmentalissue, and they are not hesitating to take any drastic step. #Disposableplasticdrinksbottles would be banned across the European Union to reduce litter and #preventpollution of #rivers and the sea. They will be allowed in the market only if they are refillable or subject to deposit/return schemes charging customers a refundable fee of up to 20p, environmentalist of Europe were quoted saying.
More than 13 billion single-use plastic bottles are sold in Britain each year, an average of 200 per person. Only about half are recycled. The thin #plasticbottles are used by almost all drinks manufacturers.
Coming Closer Home
The #NationalGreenTribunal on Friday banned the use of disposable #plasticinDelhi and #NCR with effect from January 1, 2017 and directed the city government to take steps to reduce dumped waste. Delhi government was supposed to argue its case on the plastic bag ban in the high court early last year. Delhi first banned the use and storage of plastic bags in 2009, followed by a notification in October 2012 to ban even their local manufacturing. More than three years later, plastic bags continue to be widely used in Delhi. But the fight is not one sided, as #plasticmanufacturers are also fighting it out in court. All said and done, plastic bags are very much a part of our grocery shopping, they are very much found in the banks of #Yamuna and in heaps of #garbage.
From Delhi to now, #Madurai, the Madurai City Corporation banned plastic bags below 50 microns around Meenakshi temple. To enforce it seriously, the civic body raided shops and seized 660 kilograms of #bannedpolythenebags and levied a total fine of Rs 35,900 on shops found to be using them. The corporation also announced Rs 500 cash price to public for genuine tip-offs on the use of banned polythene bags. The Madurai Corporation, as a part of the Green Madurai initiative, also banned the use of plastic around the temple from Chithirai street to Veli street within old city limits. Also, many #awarenesscampaigns were conducted regarding this ban this past December.
In punjab, the ban on the use of plastic bags have not been enforced seriously, since the usage of it with impunity is a telling tale of the failure of the implementation. Many researchers have explored the reason behind the failure, which according to them has been the doing of the SAD-BJP government, keeping in mind the upcoming Vidhan Sabha elections.
From Punjab to Namma Bengaluru. The ban on plastics in Bangalore have not been effective,since nine months after the ban, the plastics are back in the market. Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, struggling to prevent the usage of these bags, now plans to seek help from other government agencies to keep an eye on such bags coming from outside Bengaluru.
“In #BBMP limits, 4,000 tonnes of waste are generated every day, of which 1,300 tonnes are dry waste, including #plastic and metal. BBMP has 188 dry waste collection centres.” Similar to the ban in France, Bangalore state government in the month of March last year also banned the use of #plasticcarrybags, #glasses and #plates. But alas, the implementation has not been its strength.
In Chennai, the Ministry of Tourism decided to prohibit the use of #polythene in 100-metre radius of national monuments, effective from October 2, last year. Hon’ble Minister Tourism Dr. Mahesh Sharma was quoted saying that the plastic bottles would not be banned but tourists would be asked to place them in the #recycle container at the tourists’ destinations.
In Har-ki-Pauri and Brahma Kund, two of the most popular religious places, the implementation of the law has failed miserably. The #NationalGreenTribunal (NGT) prohibiting the use and selling of plastic material based goods in and around the sanctum sanctorum of Brahma Kund and Har-ki-Pauri, is being openly disregarded. The localities are selling cans for Ganga jal, disposable thermocol plates and bags.
After a brief overview of the situation in India, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that the law is in place, there is no commitment in #governance and the #implementation is rather poor. There are willful defaulters, and the government doesn’t have its heart in the right place. As a responsible country, India needs to do its bit for the #environment, which is now a global concern. And to implement such laws, we first need to educate people, bring in the alternatives for plastic bags–formulate policies with the help of non government players who would help make the transition smooth.
Your valuable comments and suggestions are welcome about banning plastic in India.
*by #DrArvindKumarPresidentIndiaWaterFoundation
