Restriction boosts Kerala's plastic industry
The ban on plastic carry bags less than 30 micron thick in Kerala has helped the local plastic industry.
By PTI |
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ban on plastic carry bags less than 30 micron thick in Kerala has helped the least expected group - the local plastic industry.
The restriction has not only led to the increased sale of good quality plastic bags but also benefited the recycling sector, giving a boost to the industry, Kerala Plastic Manufacturers Association president P A Mathew said.
Many shopkeepers, who used to give away plastic bags of average 20 micron thickness to customers for free, have now started charging anywhere between Re 1 and Rs 2 for the thicker, better quality bags.
Those who continue to offer them for free have started giving them to customers sparingly.
"Despite the judicious use, the revenue of 150-odd plastic bag manufacturers in the state has increased as better-priced products are being sold," he said.
This has revamped the business of nearly 120 plastic recycling units in the state.
The recycling of bags less than 30 microns thick was not commercially viable and the units were not procuring them from households, forcing people to throw away the bags and causing environmental pollution.
People have started using the thicker bags judiciously as they come with a price tag and because they can be sold to recycling units.
According to Jaya Prasad, Member Secretary of the Kerala Pollution Control Board, people had a tendency to get four or five carry bags when they could manage with one. In the absence of a proper disposal system, they used to throw them away in public places.
Besides blotting the beauty of the state, which has a lot of tourism potential, the bags clogged the drainage system and eroded the quality of the soil due to their non-degradable nature.
The restriction has not only led to the increased sale of good quality plastic bags but also benefited the recycling sector, giving a boost to the industry, Kerala Plastic Manufacturers Association president P A Mathew said.
Many shopkeepers, who used to give away plastic bags of average 20 micron thickness to customers for free, have now started charging anywhere between Re 1 and Rs 2 for the thicker, better quality bags.
Those who continue to offer them for free have started giving them to customers sparingly.
"Despite the judicious use, the revenue of 150-odd plastic bag manufacturers in the state has increased as better-priced products are being sold," he said.
This has revamped the business of nearly 120 plastic recycling units in the state.
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The recycling of bags less than 30 microns thick was not commercially viable and the units were not procuring them from households, forcing people to throw away the bags and causing environmental pollution.
People have started using the thicker bags judiciously as they come with a price tag and because they can be sold to recycling units.
According to Jaya Prasad, Member Secretary of the Kerala Pollution Control Board, people had a tendency to get four or five carry bags when they could manage with one. In the absence of a proper disposal system, they used to throw them away in public places.
Besides blotting the beauty of the state, which has a lot of tourism potential, the bags clogged the drainage system and eroded the quality of the soil due to their non-degradable nature.
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Apart from the production of articles using recycled plastics, the state government is planning to use the material for laying roads.
It has decided to add plastic material to bitumen to lay at least 100 km of roads in each district.
The main problem faced by recycling units is the absence of agents who can collect plastic items from households. The government is involving women's self-help groups for this purpose, said Prasad.
According to Mathew, the association has volunteered to showcase a "living example" of collection of household plastic materials, their recycling and sales through a women's initiative.
A group consisting of 1,500 women is being provided facilities and training to collect materials from households and to segregate them.
A full-fledged recycling unit is being set up for them at Kochi. The association will also purchase the materials produced by the group.
Mathew said many people mistook the restriction as a "total ban" on plastics. "We are correcting this notion, along with creating awareness about the littering menace."
The restriction on the use of plastics was imposed in Kerala from September one and is being implemented in two phases.
In the first phase, lasting one month, the public is being educated on the necessity of the restriction. The subsequent phase will see stringent and deterrent action against those found stocking, selling, or using the banned version of plastic.
The enforcement of the restriction has been entrusted to special squads set up by local bodies which can seize the material and impose fines on persons or shops. All the squads are equipped with micro guage metres to check the thickness of plastic materials.
It has decided to add plastic material to bitumen to lay at least 100 km of roads in each district.
The main problem faced by recycling units is the absence of agents who can collect plastic items from households. The government is involving women's self-help groups for this purpose, said Prasad.
According to Mathew, the association has volunteered to showcase a "living example" of collection of household plastic materials, their recycling and sales through a women's initiative.
A group consisting of 1,500 women is being provided facilities and training to collect materials from households and to segregate them.
A full-fledged recycling unit is being set up for them at Kochi. The association will also purchase the materials produced by the group.
ADVERTISEMENT
Mathew said many people mistook the restriction as a "total ban" on plastics. "We are correcting this notion, along with creating awareness about the littering menace."
The restriction on the use of plastics was imposed in Kerala from September one and is being implemented in two phases.
In the first phase, lasting one month, the public is being educated on the necessity of the restriction. The subsequent phase will see stringent and deterrent action against those found stocking, selling, or using the banned version of plastic.
The enforcement of the restriction has been entrusted to special squads set up by local bodies which can seize the material and impose fines on persons or shops. All the squads are equipped with micro guage metres to check the thickness of plastic materials.
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