Sustainable alternatives to SUP

Single-Use Plastics (SUP) notified under the nationwide blanket ban continuing to be in circulation points toward the message not reaching the end-users, a gap in enforcement as well as alternatives to SUP not being widely available. The NITI Aayog says that apart from plant fibres, biodegradable plastics, biodegradable bioplastics, and compostable plastics can provide sustainable alternatives to deal with plastic waste in India. Adoption of these alternatives will depend on production and availability on a commercial scale and at affordable prices. The NITI Aayog in its report on "Alternative Products and Technologies to Plastics and their Applications" recommends increased investment in the development and application of biodegradable plastic is required to move towards a sustainable plastics economy. Without proper labelling and awareness, for end-users distinguishing the alternatives from prohibited plastics will not be easy which will leave room for violation of the ban by unscrupulous traders and push cheaper and harmful plastics. The report highlights the gravity of the SUP menace in the country and states that plastic consumption has grown 20 times over the past three decades. Packaging shares the highest 24% of total domestic consumption followed by agriculture with 23% and household items with 10% and these figures also indicate the requirement for alternatives. Biodegradable cutlery developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) Laboratory which finds special mention in the report raises hope for the production of alternatives to plastic tableware like spoons, forks, sporks, bowls, plates, tea cups etc., on a commercial scale. Biodegradable cutlery, it says, is produced through the reinforcement of natural fibre (agro-waste) into matrix/resin, which is a polymer of renewable resources and is formed through compression or injection process and is suitable for serving hot and cold meals. Biodegradability occurs within 180 days and is compostable in 90 days in the natural environment. The promotion of biodegradable tableware made from areca nut tree leaf, bamboo stirrer, and plant fibres can benefit farmers and entrepreneurs in Assam and other states in the Northeast where raw materials for such eco-friendly alternatives are abundantly found. The NITI Aayog study, however, flags the concern over the widespread use of compostable plastic without separate composting facilities with specific environmental conditions. It notes that starch-based compostable technology developed by DRDO and a Hyderabad-based company is used in the commercial production of bags, cups, plates, moulded cutlery, toothbrushes and thermoformed boxes. However, the necessary environmental conditions for the decomposition of compostable bags and packaging materials do not exist in municipal landfills due to which these are not fit in all alternatives to plastics. In Guwahati city where the system of segregation of municipal solid waste is still elusive, adopting these compostable plastics will only create a new menace. One of the global solutions for plastic alternatives observed during the study is a sustainable wood-based alternative to SUP developed by a Scotland-based paper manufacturing company in 2020 which is translucent, functional barrier paper that preserves the quality of food and is "fully recyclable, compostable and biodegradable." The region being rich in bamboo, similar translucent packaging paper as an alternative to plastic packaging can become a hub of such industries with raw materials locally available. While compostable plastics undergo degradation by biological process, bioplastics are either bio-sourced or biodegradable or both and are made from renewable biomass resources, most often corn starch/ sugarcane/cassava – which might be either biodegradable or not. Biodegradable plastic as defined by the NITI Aayog's report means that plastics, other than compostable plastics, which undergo complete degradation by biological processes under ambient environmental (terrestrial or aquatic) conditions, in specified periods, without leaving any microplastics, or visible, distinguishable or toxic residue, which has adverse environmental impacts. The study estimates that over 61% of bioplastics are used in packaging and predicts that Southeast Asia will see the most considerable increase in its production because of its agrarian economy and availability of agricultural residues. The northeast region is at the centre of India's deepening engagement with ASEAN, the search for bioplastics and biodegradable bioplastics as alternatives to plastics can bring windfall opportunities for the landlocked states in the region. States in the region evincing interest to fund research for the development of sustainable technologies of bioplastics and support Startups initiating entrepreneurship that aim to innovate plastic alternatives can make harnessing of these opportunities a reality. Modern lifestyle, and rise in disposable income have made a large section of people highly dependent on packaged and cooked as well as non-cooked food items in thermoformed boxes, electronic goods and other items delivered at doorsteps by e-commerce companies. Awareness drive about the harmful effects of SUP will convince them to discard it, but dependency on packaged goods is not going to get away and advising them to carry a shopping bag is not going to have much impact. Making environmentally sustainable alternatives to plastics is the key to making SUP ban effective.