From 1st July this month, the government has banned 19 items made of single-use plastic. This time there will be more strictness, so there is also a provision for fine and punishment. Because of this, the question that arises in everyone's mind is what options do we have now?
There is a ban on the manufacture, sale and use of single-use plastic items in the country from July 1. This ban means a ban on the manufacture, import, collection, distribution, sale and use of these items. These items have little utility and are thrown away immediately. Under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, a total of 19 items of single-use plastic have been banned. These items mean those plastic items which are usually used only once before being thrown away or recycled. Actually, the government wants to gradually remove single-use plastic from people's lives in several phases. This step has been taken in this direction. Although plastic carry bags or sacks have not been included in these 19 items, but last year itself their thickness was increased from 50 microns to 75 microns. In December this year, it will be increased to 120 microns.
The mess of plastic
Plastic was once considered a miraculous thing. A synthetic polymer whose quality is such that it lasts for years. This is the reason that when plastic was prepared, it spread very fast all over the world. Plastic was made in 1907. It provided cheap and convenient things to the people. Its use is increasing in daily life. Today plastic is everywhere. From our money to every appliance used in our house. It is also used in many types of industries like packaging, building construction, transportation, industrial machinery and health etc.
According to the World Economic Forum, the use of plastic has increased 20 times in the last 50 years. But toxic chemicals dissolve in the environment from plastic which is harming both humans and animals. It is dangerous because it spoils the quality of soil, contaminates water because every category of plastic contains colors, chemicals etc. From the garbage of our homes to the garbage bins of the neighborhood, single use plastic is the most in the garbage. This garbage flows through drains and reaches the rivers and the sea.
Mountains of garbage in cities
Garbage heaps in cities take the shape of mountains. Chemicals dissolve inside the ground from here. Garbage is spread everywhere on the roads. Animals search for edible things from it. In such a situation, plastic bags reach their stomachs, while plastic comes out of the stomachs of fish in the sea. This plastic is now coming back to us also, traveling in water and air. It takes hundreds of years for plastic to completely get destroyed. That is why it is recycled. Till the year 2018, only about 60 percent of plastic garbage was being recycled in India. The rest was flowing through rivers and drains into the sea or into the garbage heaps on the ground.
What can we do?
We can take some steps ourselves to reduce waste, like we should keep the household waste separately in wet and dry form.
Garbage bags
Garbage bags with a thickness of less than 75 microns are also banned. So keep some things in mind-
Whenever you buy a bag for throwing garbage, check its thickness too. Use this bag again and again.
Apart from this, you can buy biodegradable garbage bags. A 15-litre garbage bag starts at Rs 8 per piece. But wet garbage cannot be kept in it for a long time.
Alternative in emergency
1. Safety of mobile phone from packet of chips
It is monsoon days and if you are out in the market and suddenly there is a possibility of heavy rain, what will you do? First of all, you will try to protect your mobile phone and purse from getting wet. If you ask for a bag from a vegetable vendor, it is possible that he may refuse because single use plastic bags are not available. Don't worry, buy a packet of chips from any nearby shop. Eat the chips of that packet quickly and you can use the empty packet to protect your mobile phone.
2. Bags with QR code on rent
You are going for some work and you remember to take 3 litre milk packets with you on your way back. But you won't find a plastic bag and you didn't carry a bag with you from home. In such a situation, bags available on rent can help you. You are right, at least it has started in Delhi. Delhi Municipal Corporation and 'Why Waste Wednesdays Foundation' have jointly launched Project Vikalp. They give bags with QR code on them at vegetable, fruit, grocery and dairy shops. These bags with QR code are available on payment of Rs. 20 and when the work is done, they can be returned the next day. The condition is that the bag should be in good condition while returning. Currently, there are 145 Vikalp stores in Delhi.
3. Shopkeepers will give bags worth Rs. 15
A shopkeeper from NCR told that he and many shopkeepers in the vicinity have ordered bags made of cloth or eco-friendly material for rent which will be available for just Rs. 15. If someone has not brought a bag from home, then he can take a bag on rent. He can return it to the shop next time and get his money. Similarly, in Lucknow also people have started keeping an extra cloth bag or a good plastic bag in their office bags. At the same time, if someone has forgotten to bring a bag, then in some places shopkeepers are giving non-woven bags worth Rs. 5 to 7. Mumbaikars are also no less in Jugaad. These days it is raining a lot there, so paper bags are not successful. In such a situation, people are managing by keeping plastic bags inside cloth bags. However, shopkeepers are avoiding using plastic bags.
Plastic in human blood
In March this year, the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands presented its research. Through this research, it was revealed for the first time that plastic particles are also present in human blood. Blood samples of 22 healthy people were taken for the research. On examination, it was found that microplastics were present in the bodies of 17 blood donors. Professor Dick Vethaak, who is doing the research, said that he along with his team was detecting synthetic polymers in the blood of these people. During this time, they found microplastic particles made of polyethylene terephthalate and styrene polymers in the blood of 17 people. Now research is being done on its effect on health.
Alternatives to single use plastic
Beeswax
Instead of buying endless rolls of plastic wrap, opt for beeswax wraps instead. These eco-friendly food covers are made using organic cotton, which is then coated in coconut or jojoba oil, tree resin and beeswax. These reusable plastic wrap alternatives are waterproof and freezer-safe and, with proper care, can last up to 12 months. They are biodegradable and completely compostable, so they won’t end up at the bottom of the ocean when you’re done with them. You can also find cruelty-free wraps that are coated with soy or other vegan-friendly plant waxes.
Paper or metal straws
Aussies throw away an estimated 10 million plastic straws a day. Instead of adding to the straw pile, it’s easy to switch to more sustainable alternatives, such as glass, stainless steel or silicon. Having a party and don’t want 30 kids running around with glass tubes? You can find recycled – or recyclable– cardboard straws, too.
Paper bags
While it has become commonplace to wrap loaves of bread in plastic bags, paper packaging is becoming an increasingly popular and easy-to-find option. You can now find bread in paper bags at most supermarkets and they have long been the preferred option for local bakeries – so if your local grocer hasn’t gone green yet, this might be a good opportunity to support small business. If you've got school-aged children, you're probably already stocked up on paper bags, with plastic wrap banned from kids' lunchboxes at some Victorian schools.
Bamboo toothbrushes
While you’re at it, you may as well ditch the plastic toothbrush and opt for a bamboo brush instead. Aussies dispose of 30 million toothbrushes every year, which ultimately end up in landfill. Bamboo is technically a grass and it is one of the fastest-growing plants on earth so as well as being an eco-friendly plastic alternative, it is also sustainable (it is low maintenance and regenerates itself naturally, requiring little rain) and does not contribute to deforestation. If you're not on board the bamboo train, make a better choice by opting for toothbrushes made from recycled plastic.
Eco-friendly toilet paper
Be kind to the planet and never run out of toilet paper again. Since the Great Toilet Paper Shortage of 2020, loo roll subscriptions have skyrocketed with companies including Wipe That, Cheeky, About a Dog and Who Gives A Crap delivering paper-wrapped toilet paper directly to your door. Most offer double-length unbleached dunny rolls made from either 100 per cent recycled or 100 per cent recycled bamboo. And the best bit? They’re packaged in a box, instead of plastic wrap.
Glass soap and detergent bottles
Say goodbye to single-use plastic dishwashing liqud bottles. Many supermarkets, including IGA, now offer refill-and-go glass bottles for dishwashing detergent, handwash and even hand sanitiser. Alternatively, if you keep forgetting to BYO bottle, subscription-based services such as Unpackaged Eco deliver glass bottle starter kits and refill cans straight to your door, or Zero Co, whose cleaning product dispensers and refill pouches are made from recycled ocean-waste plastic. Single Use Ain't Sexy is another eco innovator, delivering reusable glass pump bottles and foaming hand soap tablets to which you just add water.
Boxed washing powder
Out of detergent for your washing machine or dishwasher? Skip the liquid cleaning agents in plastic bottles and load up on boxed washing powders instead. It’s a small change that can send a big message to manufacturers, encouraging them to offer more eco-friendly packaging alternatives. You could also consider an all-natural alternative such as soapberries (or soap nuts).
Cotton tote bags
According to Sustainability Victoria, Australians use around 10 million plastic bags every day. Even though soft plastics can now be recycled (drop them off at your local RedCycle collection point), only 3 per cent of those bags are actually being recycled. Taking reusable shopping bags on your next grocery run is the easiest way to reduce this number.
Glass or metal containers
Give single-use plastic bags and containers the flick and opt for recyclable materials instead. Use an empty jam jar to transport salad dressings or trail mix and switch to glass containers for carting leftovers. You can even BYO stainless steel container the next time you buy lunch and ask them to fill it with your favourite takeout.
Reusable coffee cups
It’s estimated that Aussies throw away 2.7 million disposable coffee cups every single day. That's a whopping 1 billion coffee cups ending up in landfill every year.
Recycled paper or bamboo plates
Plastic plates have long been the go-to when it comes to fuss-free party planning. If you don’t have enough glass or ceramic plates to cater to big groups, or you’re looking for a more eco-friendly solution that offers the same convenience of disposable dinnerware, palm leaf and biodegradable bamboo pulp plates are a great place to start.
Bamboo cutlery
Why stop with plastic serveware when you can ditch the plastic cutlery, too. If you’re ordering Friday-night takeaway through a food-delivery platform, choose the ‘no cutlery’ option and reach for the top drawer instead.
Paper cups
Whether it's for the office water cooler or your kid's 21st birthday party, there' are plenty of sustainable alternatives to single-use plastic cups. Make a greener choice by opting for biodegradable or compostable paper cups or head to your local thrift shop and stock up on upcycled glassware that you can rinse and reuse time and again.