Eco-friendly alternatives to Single Use Plastics

India has taken a significant step forward towards phasing out all Single Use Plastics (SUP) by this year-end with nationwide prohibition on 19 SUP items coming into force today. Apart from enforcement of the ban, awareness among the masses about the danger posed to the environment by growing heaps of SUP wastes in cities, towns as well as in villages will be essential to achieve the desired results. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change issued a notification on August 12, 2021, prohibiting manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of these 19 SUP which have low utility and high littering potential. These items include ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns and stirrers.With effect from September 30, 2021, carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastics of thickness less than 75 microns and from December 31, 2022 plastic carry bags of thickness less than 120 microns are to be prohibited across the country. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has released a QR code on its website to enable the public to lodge complaints against violation of the SUP prohibition, but the word has not spread. A notice issued by the CPCB on February 4 to all producers, stockists, retailers, shopkeepers, e-commerce companies, street vendors, commercial establishments (malls/marketplace/shopping centres/cinema houses)/ tourists locations/schools/colleges/office complexes/hospitals and other institutions) and general public warns of punitive measures as deemed fit under the Environmental Protection Act, 1986 including seizure of goods, levying of environmental compensation, closure of operations of industries/commercial establishment for any act of violation of the ban. Clearly, the onus to comply with the ban lies with all stakeholders including users among the public. Lessons learnt from past experiences of failure to enforce the ban on plastic carry bag of specified thickness, announced from time to time in various districts in Assam, teach us that taking advantage of lax enforcement and public monitoring, unscrupulous traders will try to find ways to smuggle in prohibited SUP items. As sufficient time was given to manufacturers, stockists, importer, distributors and retailers to ensure zero inventory of prohibited SUP, there is no scope for relaxation to violators under any pretext. Official data shows that plastic waste of whopping 34.69 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA) is generated in the country, of which 15.8 lakh TPA is recycled, 1.67 lakh TPA is co-processed in cement kilns and the rest quantity remains unprocessed which litter streets, clog drains, pollute wetlands, rivers and find way into the sea posing threats of environment degradation and existential threat biodiversity, aquatic and marine lives. The figures speak volumes about the gravity of the situation and justify the government's move to phase out SUP before it is too late. The enforcement of the ban on prohibited SUP, however, is not without challenges. Availability of alternatives to prohibited items and economic viability of the alternatives will be key factors determining the pace of phasing out SUP. Behavioural changes on the part of end consumers will impact the market demand of ubiquitous plastic carry bags. Beverage companies have already started importing biodegradable paper straws to replace non-biodegradable plastic straws. The Indian Paper Manufacturers Association claims that the country has enough capacity and technical knowhow to manufacture required paper straws and refutes claim by FMCG companies that non-availability of the required capacity in Indian mills to produce paper straws has forced them to import it. Restaurant aggregators and restaurants taking effective steps to eliminate plastics from food delivery and service will be a crucial indicator of enforcement of the ban. Using traditional, digital and social media to tell the stories of environment-conscious citizens taking containers to pack takeaways from restaurants, shopping bags to buy groceries and vegetables can help replication of such voluntary initiatives and reduce plastic consumption effectively. The ban on SUP provides communities an opportunity to reflect on and revive traditional eco-friendly practices of shopping, packaging and food serving which are still prevalent among rural communities in the Northeast region and elsewhere. Prior to introduction of SUP, such eco-friendly practices such as using banana leaves, sal leaf plates and bowlsfor serving food in feasts were widespread even in cities and towns and revival of these practice will make finding alternatives to SUP easier. Health and hygiene are major factors behind growing popularity of SUP, particularly for food deliveries by restaurant aggregators which cannot be ignored and adopting such traditional practices for innovative and hygienic production of eco-friendly alternatives will make phasing out of SUP smooth and faster. Active involvement of communities and the public in enforcement of the prohibition of SUP will require simultaneous promotion of traditional eco-friendly alternatives.