Why are our heads still wrapped in plastic?

As another World Environment Day dawns the focus is on Bengaluru's  battle with plastic, which despite a ban on its use, still fills storm water drains, blocking them and throwing up the possibility of floods in the rain. Will the theme of this Environment Day, ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ give the civic agency the wake-up call it needs? Aksheev Thakur reports

The rains are here and with them comes the threat of flooding as the city continues to struggle with clogged drains.  One of the worst  affected  areas the last monsoon was Koramangala and former BBMP Commissioner, N Manjunath Prasad had at the time squarely blamed the dumping of packaging material like  thermocol and plastic into the storm water drain (SWD) at Sony Signal for the waterlogging. He followed this  up by fining one of the malls nearby for dumping its plastic and other waste into the SWD.   But  not much  seems to have been learnt from that experience with SWDs in many parts of the city still used as a dumping ground for plastic and other waste of industries , malls and homes. The worst of the rubbish is clearly the non-biodegradable plastic and the city generates around 400 tonnes of it every day, according to the BBMP.

Noting the impact of plastic on the environment, in 2011, the BBMP banned plastic bags of less than 40 microns in thickness and in May 2016 introduced a blanket ban  on the sale and manufacture of all plastic barring those used by dairy products.  However, the civic agency appears to be now looking for alternatives to the plastic milk pouches too.

Although big eatery chains like McDonalds and Kentucky Fried Chicken  stopped using plastic straws a couple of years ago following the ban , small eateries and hawkers continue using polybags, prompting  conservationists to point accusing fingers at the BBMP for failing to effectively implement it in the city.

“The ban is only on paper and not in spirit.  Why can't the manufacturing units of plastics be shut down? ” demands tree doctor, Vijay Nishanth. Researchers too warn that the use of plastic by eateries to pack hot food could be harmful to health. Says Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) consultant , Mahesh Kashyap, “ The hot food when packed in plastic bags, releases toxic gases, which have a detrimental impact on health.” Ask the BBMP, however, about its lack of seriousness in implementing the plastic ban and it claims to have collected around Rs 1.8 crore in fine over the past few months and says it plans to  conduct raids on shops on World Environment Day  with the help of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board( KSPCB) to check for plastic use .

“Use of all types of plastic bags is banned and the BBMP is in talks with the state dairy to find an alternative to the milk pouches too. We are serious about the enforcement of the plastic ban since it leads to clogging of drains. A better alternative has to be found,” says Mayor Sampath Raj.

Joint Commissioner BBMP (Solid Waste Management) , Sarfaraz Khan claims that it is thanks to the agency’s raids  that the big eateries have stopped using plastic. “At present as vendors, hawkers and a few eateries are using it, we  want to provide them an alternative which is economical to use,” he adds. Revealing that 10 major plastic manufacturing industries have been shut down , he says plastic continues to be in use only because there is  no alternative to it present.

Stop excessive use of  plastic for packaging

To India’s pride it has been chosen as the global host for the World Environment Day whose theme this year is " Beat Plastic Pollution."  The Union Ministry of Environ ment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has approved a slew of regulatory measures and launched  awareness programmes to reduce, reuse and recycle plastic.  

And its circular on the occasion of World Environment Day calls upon  academic institutions to discourage the use of plastic on campuses and contribute to protecting the environment  

President of the Management of Independent CBSE Schools Association (MICSA), M. Srinivasan says several schools will take a number of initiatives on the occasion of World Environment Day. “Environ ment day has always seen students enthusiastically come up with new ideas of conservation . This year they are keen on researching  the use of plastic and its adverse effect,” he  reveals.
Meanwhile, eco activists accuse Fast Moving Consu mer Goods (FMCG) and e-commerce companies of contributing to plastic waste that either ends up in landfills or is burnt.

Consultant with the IISc, Mr Mahesh Kashyap strongly recommends that e-commerce companies should stop excessive use of plastic for  packaging. “Disposing plastic waste properly should be the priority instead of throwing it around in such a way that it ends up in drains or  landfills," he stresses.