Kurnool city produces approximately 150 tonnes of waste every day. Municipal staff estimate about 30 per cent of these are plastic materials.
Kurnool: Despite the official ban on plastic, Kurnool city continues to generate over 50 tonnes of plastic waste daily, as there is minimal intervention from civic authorities. In all, the city produces approximately 150 tonnes of waste every day, with municipal staff estimating that about 30 per cent of this are plastic materials.
Plastic consumption has witnessed a significant rise in the country, growing at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 9.7 per cent, from 14 million tonnes in the financial year 2016–17 to 20 million tonnes in 2019–20. In July 2022, the union government imposed a ban on 19 single-use plastic items under the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021. This ban aligns with the global movement to combat plastic pollution, including initiatives of the United Nations Environment Assembly.
Initially, authorities in Kurnool had been prompt in imposing the ban on single-use plastics through raids. But these have been minimal of late. As a result, tonnes of plastic waste is being generated in the city daily.
Kurnool has between 30,000 to 40,000 small and medium-sized shops, along with hundreds of street vendors. Plastic consumption remains particularly high in the old town, flower market, and other areas. Businesses continue to use plastic bags freely in direct violation of the ban.
The flower market near Kondareddy Buruju exemplifies this issue, with hundreds of plastic bags being used daily. Although a five-member committee had been formed to monitor plastic control, there are no records of the committee's meetings, and no fines have been imposed in the past one year.
Environment activist Vutukuri Gangi Reddy underlines the critical health risks associated with single-use plastic, especially in food and beverage packaging. "Single-use plastic, particularly when used for food and beverage packaging, poses major health risks. Plastic chemicals, such as phthalates and bisphenol A, can dissolve into food and beverages, consequently causing endocrine disruption and other adverse health effects," he pointed out.
Municipal staff previously declared that they would impose fines up to ₹10,000 for violations. But no such penalty has been imposed so far. Banned polythene bags of 120-micron thickness continue to be used by nearly every shop, with businesses importing these materials from various parts of Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
