Say
'No' To Polybags
[
Government of West Bengal on 5th September
has issued directions to ban polybags in ecological sensitive
areas and restrict them elsewhere in the state. ]
Polybags
served us well. Light, cheap, non-tearing and waterproof, as
carrybags offered by shopkeepers they freed us from carrying
cloth, jute or nylon bags. Polybags harmed us more. Millions
and millions of polybags, with a uselife ranging from a few
minutes to a few hours, are thrown away to clog drains and choke
soil. They cause food contamination and animal deaths. Pollution
in manufacture and disposal are added attributes.
Different
state governments and municipalities have already taken efforts
to restrict, contain and eradicate this menace. Himachal Pradesh,
Goa, Maharashtra, Sikkim, Meghalaya and Tamil Nadu are notable
examples. In West Bengal DISHA along with other organizations
and concerned people including those of the hill areas and members
of municipalities had been raising the issue and demanding action
from the authorities.
DISHA
thanks the governmental authorities and demands strict implementation
of the directions. At the same time DISHA implores all the concerned
organizations and people in the state to generate peoples' awareness
and function as watchdogs. Environmental protection measures
cannot work without social monitoring.
Discard
Polybags And Plastic Cups - Save Sewerage, Save Environment
What
Is Wrong With Polybags?
Choked
Drains: Light polybags settle in the drains. They choke
gully pits. Cause backflow and waterlogging. They get into storm
water pumps and damage them. Polybag induced waterlogging triggers
off landslides in the mountains.
Choked
Soil: Millions of polybags settle in the soil. They are
non-porous and non-biodegradable. They obstruct free flow of
water and air. Thus they choke the soil and suffocate plant
roots. Toxic chemical additives leach into the soil. Soil quality
degrades.
Animal
Deaths: Cows foraging dustbins eat polybags and die. Ingested
polybags block their intestines. Toxins released from polybags
also harm animals that eat those. Polybag also harms marine
animals through ingestion.
Food
Hazards: Chemicals used to manufacture polybags can leach
out into food products stored in them and thereby reach our
systems. The two commonly used dyes in plastics are lead - a
known neurotoxin and cadmium - a nephrotoxin. Other additives
used are toxic as well.
Mosquito
Breeding: Stray polybags act as receptacles of water, sufficient
enough for mosquito breeding.
Limited
Recyclability: Plastic recycling is linear, not cyclic -
i.e. plastics degrade on recycling. Thus more and more fresh
plastic is required creating more and more waste at the end
of the line. Besides, stray polybags, thin and dirty as they
are, are not lucrative enough for the ragpickers to collect.
Polluting
Industry: Manufacture of polybags, mainly done in small
moulding shops, with no environmental standard involve hazardous
materials and emit obnoxious gases posing serious problems first
for the workers and then for the neighbourhood.
Disposal
Hazards: If disposed through landfills, polybags continue
to pollute soil for many years. If burnt they emit hazardous
gases that pollute the air. Directions Issued By The Government
Of West Bengal On 5th September 2001 Widespread use of plastic
carrybags is damaging our environment. It has become necessary
to restrict this use. Implementation of this restriction has
been contemplated in three stages:- 1. A total ban on the use
of plastic carrybags from 15th September 2001 in the hilly areas
of Darjeeling district, entire Sundarban areas, coastal regulation
zone areas (Digha, Sankarpur, Frazerganj, Sagardwip, Bakkhali
etc.), entire forest areas of West Bengal. 2. Ban from 15th
September 2001 on the use of coloured plastic carrybags of less
than 20-micron thickness in Kolkata and Bidhannagar municipal
areas. 3. Ban on the use of all plastic carrybags of less than
20-micron thickness in the entire state from 1st December 2001.
DISHA's
Effort
- DISHA
lodged complaints with the state department of environment
and pollution control board in October,2000.
- DISHA
discussed the problem in detail with officials in the department
of environment.
- DISHA
compiled information and documents on the problem.
- DISHA
was entrusted by the department of environment with an area
specific assessment of use of polybags and campaign to restrict
it.
- DISHA
started the assessment and campaign at Kolkata, Digha, Durgapur
and Kurseong with network partners Chetana - Hatibagan, Digha
Sports And Cultural Association, Peoples' Science and Cultural
Forum - Durgapur and Society For Environment Education And
Development - Kurseong.
- DISHA
had a detailed discussion with the Principal Secretary, Department
of Environment on the possibilities of measures to restrict
polybags on 7th August 2001. It was ensured that the proposal
for strict implementation and notification for banning polybags
of less than 20-micron thickness throughout the state as well
as banning all kinds of polybags in ecologically sensitive
areas would be considered.
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