Plastic Ban: Reality or Sham?

The year 2018 has seen numerous plastic bans being imposed in India and even outside India. Countries like UK, Iceland and even EU has imposed a plastic ban this year and suddenly, every country is thinking on the same page. In India, the ban was imposed in Maharashtra on 23rd March 2018 with 3-months time to dispose of the existing stocks. The question that has been raised is regarding the effectiveness, appropriateness and applicability of this ban on single-use plastics.

Plastic has been defined by the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) International "as a material that contains as an essential ingredient an organic substance of high molecular weight, is solid in its finished state, and at some stage in its manufacture or in its processing into finished articles can be shaped by flow."
Now, the concern is the presence of high molecular weight in Plastics. Plastic is like the king of all storage materials. What provides Plastics with such durability? It is this high molecular weight. Now, this weight is counter-productive as it causes non-biodegradability as well. So, the element that provides it with durability makes it non-biodegradable. The high molecular weight prevents the enzymes from breaking down the chemicals and hence prevents it from degradation. 

Now, the ban has been imposed on Single-use plastics and not all plastics. Single-use plastics are the disposable plastics that we use in our daily lives for every purpose generally. Interestingly, India produces 300 million tons of plastic each year, half of which is disposable. Since India produces such a huge amount of disposable plastic, it is indeed the need of the hour to impose a ban on single-use plastics at least. 

There is just one law in India regarding Plastic Management and that is Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 which were first legislated in 1999. These rules have made a regulation that now the thickness of the plastic carry bags shall be increased from 40 to 50 microns which shall make it costlier and easily retrievable and collectable. Earlier, this limit was 20 microns. Also, the same rules proclaimed that with such measures the manufacture and use of non-recyclable materials shall be phased out in two-years time (i.e. in 2018). We have seen no changes and all this has so far turned about to nothing more than a sham. Another farce and hollow pledge that has been taken under the leadership of Narendra Modi that all single-use plastics shall be phased out by the year 2022. 

In Maharashtra itself, the ban has been imposed with numerous relaxations. For example, a further extension for 3 months has been given to the retailers to continue using plastic bags but which are above 50 microns. The government is even thinking to lift the ban on retail packaging of products, PET bottles etc. given that they set up a mechanism to collect and recycle this plastic material. Such relaxations shall not take the nation forward in any case. Also, if bans are implemented in this manner then, getting rid of plastic will continue to be a pipe dream. Furthermore, the need is to implement the ban on plastic all over India. Such ban should be imposed only after a proper mechanism is set up, and that concerns like employment and labour should be faced by providing employment in other fields like paper bag industry or jute bag industry which shall soon take place of plastic bags. Incentives and subsidies should be given for setting up such industries so that the transition is not a shock therapy. Also, for once, there will be a setback for the economy but long-term plans should be made. Single-use Plastic should be completely banned in the coming years and regarding durable plastic and recyclable plastic, it should be done away with only after a substitute is found and that proper recycling and collecting mechanisms and procedures are in place. One of the positives in the ban so imposed is that fines have been levied i.e. Rs. 5000 for the first-time offenders, twice this amount for the second-time offenders and for the third-time offenders, it will be a penalty of Rs. 25000 with a three-month imprisonment.

We should learn from countries like Rwanda, France, Ireland, Sweden and China who imposed plastic bans around a decade ago. They should be an inspiration for all of us. More laws should be made concerning Plastic management and that such legislations should be incorporated in the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the penalties should be raised on the violation of such bans. Also, it is not just about laws, it concerns all of us who are the stakeholders and the efforts have to start from the people themselves. In the Times of India dated 28th June 2018, "It's Plasticated" written by Bachi Karkaria very aptly summarises the present condition that 'it won't be easy to dislodge the micron monster now coiled into our DNA'. Reforms and eradication of plastic is paramount despite all the problems that we might face.